


Folded Love

by RFox



Series: Hybrids [2]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrids, Ive sort of gone maverick again im sorry, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Non-conventional anatomy, Non-conventional hybrid dynamics?, Past Abuse, Probably very cheesy, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:08:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 82,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23863531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RFox/pseuds/RFox
Summary: Chen, a cat hybrid, has lived with his loving owner Junmyeon for three years now. Junmyeon being a popular South Korean actor, Chen barely gets to see him during the week. But Chen is a patient hybrid, always content when his owner returns from work to spend time with him.However, he never in a million years thought Junmyeon would adopt another hybrid.A dog hybrid.
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen/Park Chanyeol
Series: Hybrids [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685647
Comments: 59
Kudos: 275





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my second exploration of the hybrid universe. As I've said on my last fic, the universe used to bother me a bit. So now I'm making my own interpretation. This fic will focus more on the universe as well as telling the story of two hybrids falling in love. 
> 
> So, to set up a few things. 
> 
> Human owners do not engage in sexual relations with their hybrids. Some do but it is considered taboo to do so. Owners will only sometimes help their hybrids through heat or a rut, but they will not form a romantic connection.
> 
> Hybrids are extremely loyal towards their owners and regard them with admiration, much like how regular pets have an attachment to their owners. It can sometimes lead to hybrids becoming overprotective of their owners. 
> 
> This dynamic can also lead to a lot of inappropriate conduct that will be talked about here. (not in detail but it will be mentioned so be warned)
> 
> Lastly, different hybrid species are capable of falling in love, they just aren't able to procreate. So a cat hybrid and a dog hybrid can't have children. 
> 
> And that's all for now, everything else will be explained in the story. I hope you enjoy my little story.
> 
> As always, if there are spelling mistakes I promise to get them fixed as soon as I can.
> 
> Happy reading.
> 
> Renard~

Awful. Absolutely abysmal. Downright atrocious.

Possibly the worst thing to ever happen in the history of the entire universe.

"You're getting a dog?" Chen hissed.

"A dog hybrid." Junmyeon corrected.

"A dog." Chen narrowed his ember eyes and scrunched his nose at his owner.

Chen was a cat hybrid, a Scottish Fold to be exact. Although his species is considered to be the most friendly and calm of the cat hybrids, Chen was the odd one out. He was adopted from a rescue shelter about three years ago by Junmyeon, a famous South Korean actor.

At first, Chen was extremely skittish, keeping his distance and running away from Junmyeon's touch. But Junmyeon was gentle and kind, giving Chen all the space he needs in order to adjust to his new home. With enough time and patience, Junmyeon finally got Chen to open up. Now the cat hybrid couldn't wait to cuddle his master whenever he came back home from filming his movies or attending fancy events. Junmyeon's warm gaze was like a shining beacon of light, chasing away the darkness in Chen's life. He couldn't be more grateful to have such a wonderful human as an owner.

However, Chen had no intention of sharing him with someone else.

Especially not with a mangy mutt.

"Chen, I know that you probably feel I'm not going to give you the same amount of attention as I do now," Junmyeon said, scooting closer to Chen so he could pet the hybrid's silky gray hair. "But that couldn't be further from the truth."

It was around 9 pm, Chen had just finished clearing up the dinner table when Junmyeon sat him down on the couch to talk. Junmyeon lived in a luxury home located in South Korea, it was very spacious with a huge backyard. In a way, it seemed a bit much for a single man and his hybrid.

Chen lounged on the long end of the sofa, arms crossed and legs extended on the footrest. His position made him look exactly like the images of cats you see online, sitting on couches like humans.

Junmyeon was sitting next to Chen, resting his elbow on the top of the sofa to support the hand currently massaging the back of the cat hybrid's scalp. On any other night, Chen would be purring at Junmyeon's ministrations. But he was too furious at the moment.

"I'm still going to give you the same amount of love as I always do." Junmyeon cooed.

Chen's gaze was sharp, side-eyeing his master with ember irises, pupils constricted into slits. It would almost look menacing if it weren't for the fact that Chen had an adorable pout. Chen's oversized turtleneck wasn't helping either, making him look even smaller, almost pocket-sized.

"We're just going to add another person to our family."

Chen didn't want another person. He just wanted Junmyeon. All he needed was Junmyeon.

"Come on Chen." Junmyeon started to rub behind one of Chen's folded ears, "Don't you want some company while I'm away? I sometimes don't get home till 12 am. Don't you get lonely here, all by yourself?"

Chen never felt lonely, not when he had so many books to read, or a long list of kdramas to watch, or a lovely cat toy begging to be played with. He was perfectly fine with being by himself for long periods of time. It made Junmyeon's return all the more exciting. Chen would jump into his owner's arms, snuggling while Junmyeon told him about his day at work.

"It's not because of...you know...is it?", the hybrid owner's eyes turn somber. Chen sits up at attention immediately.

"No! It's not because of that." Chen realizes his voice had gotten louder and he lowers it, along with his gaze. "Really, it's not."

His past was far behind him. It couldn't hurt him anymore.

Junmyeon's fingers continued to pet one of his most sensitive spots. He had to force himself not to purr, his primal behaviors were always hard to contain, especially around his precious owner.

After Junmyeon eyes Chen for a bit, his face turns sunny again. "Then lets at least give this a try?", Junmyeon gives Chen a sweet smile and pleading eyes, an expression that never fails to melt Chen's insides.

"Fine," Chen groans, closing his eyes and tilting his head into Junmyeon's fingers. "But if he's obnoxious I'll scratch him."

"Chen," Junmyeon huffs with an exasperated smile. "You won't need to worry about that. He's a very sweet young man. Kind, affectionate... maybe a bit needy. Oh! And just filled to the brim with lots of energ-!"

Junmyeon stopped talking when he saw the distraught look in Chen's eyes, realizing that his description of the dog hybrid was becoming exactly what Chen dreaded. All he could do was smile sheepishly at the cat hybrid.

"I know I made him sound like a handful. But trust me, you'll warm up to him eventually." Junmyeon planted a quick kiss on Chen's ear, "Just like you did with me."

Chen is still upset about all this. But if it's what Junmyeon wants then Chen has no other choice but to go along with it. He could start whining and moaning, maybe even shed a few tears to get Junmyeon to reconsider.

But Junmyeon's happiness was far more important than his selfish desires.

🐱🐶

A few days later, Junmyeon returned home with a new dog hybrid. And Chen was caught completely off guard.

He was tall. Even taller then Junmyeon.

"Chen, this is Chanyeol." Junmyeon beamed.

Chanyeol was an Alaskan malamute. Their breed is known to be strong-willed and confident. He had scruffy jet black hair with bangs that reached his eyebrows. His fluffy ears were black with white lining the insides, standing upright at attention. Chen couldn't see it from this position but he assumed Chanyeol had a curled fluffy tail, a feature that often distinguished malamutes from huskies. He wore a simple dark blue shirt and black cargo pants, making him look like a scruffy college student.

But the feature Chen lingered on the most was Chanyeol's large expressive eyes, filled with innocence. His irises where a brilliant light caramel color, they looked even more striking paired with his dark hair. It was almost mesmerizing.

Before Chen could say hello, Chanyeol tilted his head to the side in curiosity.

"Are you a puppy?" Chanyeol asks in a deep voice.

And like that, Chen's initial awe vanishes and is replaced with irritation.

"No Chanyeol, he is my cat hybrid." Junmyeon pipes up when he sees Chen stare daggers at Chanyeol. "He's a Scottish fold, his ears are droopy due to a dominant gene mutation that exists among his species."

"Oh," Chanyeol says, scratching the back of his head and giving the cat hybrid a shy smile. "Sorry."

Not even a full minute into the mutt's arrival and he had already managed to piss Chen off. This was going to be fan-fucking-tastic.

Chanyeol took a step forward and sniffed at Chen's hair, likely recording the cat hybrid's scent. Chen wanted to swat at Chanyeol but held back the urge. Mostly because he didn't want to upset Junmyeon.

"Come on in, I'll show you to your room," Junmyeon said while guiding Chanyeol to one of the many bedrooms in the luxury home. Chen's stomach sank when Junmyeon led Chanyeol to the room right down the hall from the car hybrid's. Was his owner completely deranged? What possessed him to do such a thing?

Chen crossed his arms and followed after them, quietly fuming. He watched as Chanyeol darted his head around the mansion, eyes wide and mouth agape in awe. The dog hybrid's bushy tail never stopped wagging in excitement. His awe was a common occurrence among most visitors to Junmyeon's home. It's spacious but cozy, simple but modern.

When they passed the glass door to the backyard, Chanyeol let out a loud "Woah!" before running over to it.

"Your yard is huge!" Chanyeol exclaimed, his tail wagging at max speed. Chen rolls his eyes while Junmyeon laughs.

"Maybe we can play a game of frisbee when I come back from work early," Junmyeon says and Chen whips his head around to glare at him. When Junmyeon comes back early, Chen and him would always marathon crime/investigation shows together. They would spend time trying to piece together the cases before the investigators did. It was one of Chen's favorite things to do with Junmyeon.

"Really?" Chanyeol said, his eyes practically sparkling.

"Yep. Then afterward we can sit down and watch some TV together." Junmyeon looks over to Chen. "All three of us. How does that sound?"

"It's fine.", Chen knows what his owner is trying to do and it was infuriating. Junmyeon was trying to insert Chanyeol into their quality time. Junmyeon and Chen quality time. Quality time that was just for the two of them.

Junmyeon gave Chen a look of 'Please try. At least for me.' and the cat hybrid sighed. He will try his best.

"Uhm..."

Chanyeol's wavering voice causes Junmyeon and Chen to turn their attention back on the dog hybrid. Chanyeol was a little hunched over, his shoulders shaking. Chen tilted his head, wondering what was up with him.

"Thank you...for taking me in." Chanyeol looks at them with glassy eyes, tears threatening to fall at any moment.

"Oh Chanyeol," Junmyeon said while walking over to the quivering dog hybrid. He embraces Chanyeol, wrapping his arms around his long torso. Chanyeol returns the hug, desperately clutching at Junmyeon as if he were the only thing keeping him alive. Tilts his head down and quietly sobs into his new owner's shoulder.

Chen turns away from the scene. Of course Junmyeon is the type to hug people who are crying. Chen shouldn't be feeling this upset over it. The sensation of betrayal pooling in his stomach, he clenches his fists and jaw. It was a good thing he had more control over his feline behaviors, or else he would have snarled or hissed at the two.

Although, seeing Chanyeol's tears of gratitude tugged at Chen's heart a little bit.

Only a little bit.

🐱🐶

The next few weeks are absolute hell.

At least from Chen's perspective. 

Chanyeol was even worse than what Chen had expected. He was really loud when excited, and Chanyeol was excited almost all the time. His hyperactivity was bordering on insanity. Chen watched the dog hybrid dash around the house for what seemed like hours.

When Junmyeon is home, Chanyeol practically hogs all of his attention, begging to be played with or petted. And then at night, Chanyeol always leaves his bedroom to go to Junmyeon's bed to sleep. Chen is even more upset by Junmyeon letting him stay instead of telling the mangy dog hybrid to go back to his own bed. His owner is too susceptible to puppy eyes.

When Junmyeon wasn't home, Chanyeol became ten times worse. Since their owner isn't around, Chanyeol shifts his hyperactivity to Chen instead. The cat hybrid hisses and shoos Chanyeol away every time, turning down his requests to play frisbee outside, ignoring his pleas for pets and scratches.

Oh Chen wanted to scratch him alright, just not in the way Chanyeol wanted.

It had been almost a month now and Chen was slowly losing his patience. The thought of making Junmyeon proud would usually help calm his nerves and give him the strength to deal with Chanyeol.

But Chanyeol running at max speed around the mansion, his loud footsteps disturbing Chen's reading, was wearing Chen's patience thin.

On a sunny day, Chen would often sit on the love seat positioned in front of the window and read one of his favorite fantasy novels in the sunlight.

Chen tried to ignore Chanyeol, but his sensitive ears pick up all of his movements, following Chanyeol's position with his mental map.

Chanyeol runs around the kitchen, runs three circles around the dining room, runs up the stairs, enters his bedroom for 5 seconds, runs down the stairs, runs across the dining room again, stops for 5 seconds, runs into the living room-

"Can you stop it!" Chen hisses when Chanyeol enters his location, his eyebrows furrowed and pupils turned to slits. If his ears had more range of motion they would have been folded back to indicate aggression.

Chanyeol yelps at Chen's sudden outbursts, halting in place and looking at him with wide frightened eyes.

"You've been running around the house like that for hours. Could you please cut it out." Chen seethed.

"I'm sorry it's just," Chanyeol starts running circles around the couch, "I have all this energy and I don't know where to place it. Junmyeon isn't here to play with me or pet me or-"

"Fine I'll pet you-", Chen blurted out. He mostly said it out of exasperation. What he didn't expect was the dog hybrid dashing over to him in seconds and sitting right next to him, face leaning into Chen's personal space.

"You mean it?" Chanyeol asks, eyes twinkling and tail wagging with excitement. Chen grimaced and tried to lean away from the dog hybrid but he was pinned against the arm of the sofa. He was definitely going to regret this.

"Yes," Chen huffed, "But only if you back up."

Chanyeol obediently pulled back from Chen's personal space and sat back on his caves, watching the cat hybrid in anticipation. Chen still had to tilt his head up to look up at Chanyeol even when sitting down. It was infuriating.

"Tilt your head down." Chen sighed, the dopey look on Chanyeol's face beginning to annoy him. "You're too damn tall for me."

Chanyeol gives Chen a sheepish smile before adjusting his position. He shifts so that he was in a semi-lounging position on the couch, propping his torso up on one arm. The position looked a little awkward but it did lower Chanyeol's head enough for Chen to pet him.

Chen eyed Chanyeol's ears. He knew they were the most sensitive spot. but he didn't want to risk Chanyeol begging him for more after this, so he chose to caress the space between Chanyeol's ears instead. His fingers gently brushed up against the dog hybrids scalp, much like how Junmyeon did with him. Chanyeol's hair was fluffy and soft, Chen had to commend the dog hybrid for taking better care of it. He remembered how disheveled and matted it looked when Chanyeol first arrived. But now it was silky to the touch, most likely Junmyeon's doing, teaching him how to wash better.

Chanyeol's ears looked fluffier too, though Chen would never know unless he touched them. And he definitely didn't want to do that. No matter how much a small part of him that craved fluffy things shouted at him to play with them.

He couldn't see Chanyeol's face from this position, but Chen felt him shiver under his touch, a low noise reverberated from his chest like some kind of purr. Chen understood these reactions meant that the dog hybrid was satisfied with his petting. And so, after about five minutes, Chen removes his hand thinking the job was done.

Almost immediately, Chanyeol snapped his head back, caramel eyes looking at Chen as if he had betrayed him.

"More," Chanyeol begged.

For a second, Chen contemplated scratching Chanyeol right in his soft ear. It would definitely get Chanyeol to never ask for pets from him ever again. But he knew Junmyeon would get on his case about it. Instead he sighed and placed his hand back on Chanyeol's head. This was annoying, but not as annoying as Chanyeol running around the house at full speed.

Seeing that Chanyeol had returned to his zen state, Chen turned back to his book. It didn't take him long to become engrossed in the novel like he usually does.

The book was about a young prince trying to find his way back home after losing all of his troops in battle. He is announced dead by his enemies and they are gearing up to take over his country. However his wife, one of the finest warriors of the land, still has hope that he is still alive and holds the line until his return. The young prince is lost in The Wilds, basically the deep woods where few humans make it out alive. Fortunately for him, he encounters a wizard who takes some pity on him and trains him in the ways of magic in order to escape-

Chen is startled out of his book when a weight hits his thigh. He looks down to see Chanyeol's head in his lap, his breath even and steady. If Chen didn't see that Chanyeol's eyes were open, he would have thought the dog hybrid was asleep. But Chanyeol was still awake, mostly. He looked to be in a trance, and Chen realized why soon enough.

While reading his novel, Chen failed to notice that he started moving his fingers to Chanyeol's ear, massaging the back and outer rim much like how Junmyeon did to his own folded ears. His thumb must have glided over the ear flap and sent Chanyeol into a daze.

Even though Chen wasn't petting him anymore, Chanyeol stayed in that position, even breaths and his tail twitching occasionally. Chen still had his hand on the side of Chanyeol's head though, the fluff of his underear grazing his fingertips. It really was as soft as it looked.

Although Chen wasn't pleased with having the mutt using him as a pillow, again it was a better alternative than trying to ignore the dog hybrid running a marathon around the mansion.

Chen returned to his book once again, this time with no more interruptions from Chanyeol.

He read his story in peace while rubbing his fingers gently against the fluff of the dog hybrid's lower ear.

🐱🐶

"He's such a pain," Chen whined, his forehead resting on the picnic table.

"Stop being so extra," BamBam said, rolling his eyes at the other cat hybrid. "It can't be that bad."

"Of course you'd say that," Taemin purred, "You have flings with dogs all the time."

Jimin and Key playfully gasped in a scandalous manner while BamBam sputters and tries to save face.

Junmyeon had brought Chen and Chanyeol to the community park to get some fresh air, stretch their legs, and mingle with the local hybrids. Chen used to hate coming to this park, but his attitude changed after finally making some friends. And now he could open up and vent his new frustrations to them.

Bambam was a siamese cat hybrid who lived with a famous singer named Jinyoung and a golden retriever hybrid named Jackson. He was the goofiest cat hybrid Chen has ever met. A weirdo with a heart of gold and a fun personality. 

Jimin was a british shorthair who lived with a famous songwriter named Yoongi. Jimin lived next door to Chen and he was incredibly sweet and reliable. He was the first true hybrid friend Chen ever made after being adopted. Chen would often visit his house to hang out and talk, but he hasn't been able to since Chanyeol's arrival. With his luck, the mangy dog hybrid might follow him over and bother his precious friend. 

Taemin and Key were both persian cat hybrids who basically lived by themselves. Their owner was a wealthy businessman who worked abroad all the time. Taemin and Key were by far the most independent hybrids Chen has ever met. They had their own designer clothing line, record labels, etc. Though they might come off as a bit stuck up at first, they are quite nice and enjoy the company of people and other hybrids. Its probably because their owner isn't around that much. All hybrids regardless of species will start to feel down if their owner is away for too long. But Taemin and Key seem to be getting through it just fine.

"Anyways," BamBam cleared his throat after fussing with Taemin, "I'm sure you're blowing all of this out of proportion. At first, I too was put off by the idea of living with a dog hybrid and I begged Jinyoung to reconsider. But I gave it a try and after a year I can safely say that it's not that bad."

"But that's because Jackson is a gentleman." Chen said, looking up at his friends, "Chanyeol's an absolute menace."

"I don't know," Jimin said while turning his head in the direction of the dog hybrids at play, "He seems like a sweet young man to me."

Chanyeol was playing frisbee with three dog hybrids.

V and Jungkook were german shepherd hybrids who lived with a famous rapper named Namjoon. They were trouble makers, perfect company for Chanyeol.

Jackson was the golden retriever hybrid who lived with BamBam. As Chen said before, Jackson was a gentleman. But seeing him hanging out with the three musketeers of mayhem made him look just as bad as them.

"Don't let Chanyeol's looks deceive you Jimin," Chen warned his soft-hearted friend.

"What? Does he become a beast at night and try to fuck you?" Taemin asks nonchalantly.

"No!," Chen yells while everyone else gasps. BamBam was unfortunate enough to be drinking a bottle of water at the moment and almost choked. Judging by the smirk on Taemin's face directed at BamBam, this was the older cat hybrid's goal all along.

"He's just...extremely needy and loud all the time. Do you know Junmyeon turned one of the rooms into a recording studio just for him? Now Chanyeol is playing his guitar on full blast and shaking the entire house!" Chen says.

"Oh. So he's a musician? That sounds nice." Jimin perks up.

"I suppose it would be cool if he wasn't so goddamned obnoxious," Chen replies, crossing his arms on the table and leaning his chin on them. "Do you know the other day he spent ten minutes plucking the same cord over and over until it sounded just right? I think I almost went feral."

"I think you just need to give it some more ti-", Jimin is cut off when a red frisbee hits the center of the table. Everyone jumps and shrieks at the disturbance, BamBam spewing a comical amount of cuss words. The frisbee continues down the field until a bush eventually stops it. Seconds later, Jackson, V, Jungkook, and Chanyeol come running past them while hollering their apologies.

"Watch where you're throwing next time numbnuts!," BamBam yells at Jackson.

The golden retriever hybrid gives him a wink and BamBam cusses under his breath, face flushed red.

There was definitely something between them.

After about thirty more minutes of talking and having a great time, Taemin and Key leave to tend to some business elsewhere. They bragged about some hot new clothing line rising in popularity that was begging them to take their offers for months now. Chen wasn't paying much attention but it sounded nice. He wished them luck before they left.

After another thirty minutes, BamBam leaves along with Jackson and their owner. He gave Chen some more words of encouragement and Chen just whined and swatted him, playfully telling him to scat.

Eventually Jimin had to leave and it was then that Chen started to feel down. He liked talking to Jimin about kdramas and novels. It turns out that Jimin was actually reading the same book as him. They had just started down a theory rabbit hole when Jimin's owner called out to him.

"Don't get so worked up about Chanyeol." Jimin says, giving Chen a reassuring smile, "If things get really bad, you should be open with him. Tell him how you feel when he does something that bothers you."

"I do," Chen says to which Jimin gives him a look of disbelief, it was a look he gave whenever he catches Chen in a lie. "Ok fine. I will."

"Good. See you later," Jimin waves while hurrying over to his owner.

Chen waves back before folding his arms on the picnic table and leaning his chin against them like before. He glanced in Chanyeol's direction and saw that he and the remaining dog hybrid's, V and Jungkook, were sitting down along to shore of the pond, just talking. It was amusing to see how the two dog hybrid sat next to Chanyeol and where almost dwarfed by his long frame.

Chen was relieved the mutts had decided to chill out and not bother him this time. Once, when all of Chen's friends had left, V and Jungkook begged him to play frisbee with them. Chen repeatedly said no until Junmyeon came over and 'encouraged' him to play with them. Sometimes Chen hated how he could never say no to his owner. And he hated even more how Junmyeon was aware of that.

He turned to look in the direction of his owner, spotting him a few yards away on a bench speaking to an old lady. After a few moments of thinking, Chen recognized her to be a famous actress from the early nineties. Chen often saw her sitting at that bench and feeding the birds. Her own dog hybrid passed away due to liver problems, long before Chen was adopted. Junmyeon talked to the old woman often and made sure she was doing alright. She says visiting the park and seeing the hybrids at play helps deal with her grief.

"Chen"

Chanyeol's voice startles Chen and he shoots up from his seat.

"Christ. What do you want?" Chen asks, trying to calm his rapid heartbeat.

"Can we play frisbee? V and Jungkook had to leave and there aren't any other hybrids to play with so..." Chanyeol trails off, shyly fidgeting with the red frisbee that surprised Chen and his friends earlier.

Chen glanced around and saw that the park was nearly empty aside from a few older hybrids walking with their elderly owners. It was getting a little late, not sunset yet but it was around the time most owners came back from work.

Chen looked up at Chanyeol and glared. "Do I look like a dog to you?" His ember eyes narrowed at the dog hybrid in annoyance.

"Well..." Chanyeol's gaze flickered up to Chen's folded ears.

"Don't say it." Chen snapped, a slight blush dusting his cheeks.

He should have known that his question would inadvertently lead to accidental self-deprecation. Chen huffed in annoyance and reached for the red frisbee. Chanyeol's eyes light up, his ears perk up, and his tail wags in furiously. It was all classic dog hybrid behavior, excessive excitement over something so mundane.

The cat hybrid throws the frisbee as far as he can. Chen didn't aim anywhere in particular, just somewhere far away from him.

Chanyeol's eyes locked on to the soring object and within seconds he was hot on its tail, practically sprinting like an athlete. Chen was a little shaken by the dog hybrid's speed, he hadn't been paying much attention to Chanyeol when he was playing with the other dog hybrids earlier.

When the frisbee descends closer to Chanyeol, he leaped up and caught the frisbee out of the air. It looked as if he were flying.

Chen stared at the dog hybrid in awe as Chanyeol came running back just as fast as before.

"Again.", Chanyeol pants, his hair messy with sweat and his eyes dilated with excitement.

Dog hybrids always get a high from pushing their bodies to the limit. Most hybrid owners take their dog hybrids to the gym or go jogging together. Chanyeol spends most of his time in their home gym, running treadmill and lifting weights. Chen had to commend Chanyeol on maintaining an excellent physique. As long as Junmyeon doesn't encourage him to do the same.

Once more Chen throws the frisbee but in a different direction. He had a good arm but had zero control over its direction, so it bounces off a tree and goes soring into a wooded area of the park.

Chen cusses under his breath. That area is considered off-limits to hybrids. There was a 'No Trespassing' sign located a few yards away, easy to miss. But most of the people in the community knew to stay away.

"Damn. Sorry about tha-", Before Chen could finish his sentence, Chanyeol dashed after the frisbee, the cat hybrid staring after him in shock. "Shit! Chanyeol wait!"

Since Chanyeol was new, he didn't know about the restricted area. Chen and Junmyeon forgot to tell him. Chanyeol disappears into the bushes in chase of the frisbee, not listening to Chen's warnings. Once a dog hybrid has their eyes locked on a target it's almost impossible to snap them out of it. Chen's heart raced, not because he was scared of Chanyeol hurting himself, but because if they were discovered he'd be in serious trouble.

Chen turned his head to where Junmyeon and the old woman where sitting and to his horror, they were now headed towards him. Whatever they were talking about must have been very engaging because they failed to notice what happened to Chanyeol. Chen wondered if he could distract them long enough for Chanyeol to come back.

"Hey guys, it's time to go home," Junmyeon says while the old woman smiles at Chen.

Guys?

Just then Chen notices a presence behind him.

Chanyeol had come back, covered in dirt, twigs and leaves stuck in his hair, and a red frisbee stuck in his mouth. He looked like a complete mess, the dog hybrid wagged his tail furiously, his eyes dilated. Chen looks back at his owner, worried that he would be upset with Chanyeol's appearance. 

"This is my new malamute hybrid, Chanyeol," Junmyeon says to the older woman while smiling at Chanyeol in amusement. 

Chanyeol's eyes seem to regain their focus when Junmyeon speaks, coming down from his adrenaline rush. He blushes and removes the frisbee from his mouth. "Hello," Chanyeol says shyly, lowering his head and ears to the old woman in greeting.

She gives him a warm smile and raises her elderly hand up to the dog hybrid. Chanyeol became excited once more, dropping his head a little lower for the elderly woman to receive her gentle pets. Her fingers run through Chanyeol's messy hair, brushing off some of the twigs and leaves.

"Quite the adventurous one aren't you?," the old woman laughs, "You remind me of my little Arty. Loved to get into trouble. But he had a heart of gold."

Chen noticed the blush on Chanyeol face darken, clearly flustered by the women's words.

He wasn't so sure about the 'heart of gold' but Chanyeol was definitely a trouble maker.

🐱🐶

One Friday, Junmyeon has a day off from work and decides to take Chen and Chanyeol into town. He had just finished filming the season finally of his TV drama and chose to use his vacation days early.

Going into town required Chen to wear his collar for the first time in a while.

Hybrids are required to wear a collar when they go out with their owners unless they have special permission from the city not to wear one. It may seem a little unsettling but it's mostly for the hybrid's protection. In public, a hybrid wears a collar to signify that they have a place to live and serves as a form of identification. Hybrid owners also wear a bracelet or wristband to match their hybrid's collar.

Hybrids don't need to wear them at home or in gated communities, but out in the streets they are mandatory.

Contrary to the name, collars come in many different forms. From anklets, to bandanas, to bracelets, etc.

For Chen, his collar is more traditional. It's a black leather choker that matches his semi gothic style when he goes out in public. He wore a black sweater with grey skinny jeans, one of his favorite outfits. Chen fluffed up his hair and applied charcoal to his eye for his orange irises to pop.

Junmyeon has a black leather wrist band on his left hand to match Chen's collar. He had on a grey hoody with dad jeans, a very inconspicuous outfit.

Then finally Chanyeol wore a black and grey flannel shirt with dark jeans. One could say he looked like a chic cowboy.

All together they appeared to be a simple little family. But it's hard to mask fame in this popular town.

The main purpose of their trip was to get Chanyeol his own collar. Unfortunately, they couldn't be ordered online so they had no other choice but to head out into the public eye. The area was relatively safe so Junmeon didn't need to hire any bodyguards. The paparazzi popping out of nowhere couldn't be helped, but they were ultimately harmless.

Travel to the hybrid supply store goes fairly well. Junmyeon is wearing a cap and a face mask to hide his identity but it's impossible to completely hide the star's face. Not to mention Chen was a dead give away to Junmyeon's identity, almost no one else around this popular part of town had a Scottish Fold.

Immediately after parking, a few people began taking photos, thankfully from further away instead of crowding them. Junmyeon leads the way while Chanyeol and Chen followed behind, keeping up with his pace. Since Chanyeol didn't have his collar yet, it was imperative that he stay between Junmyeon and Chen so as not to be stopped by the police.

It seemed that a lot of the camera persons were focused on Chanyeol. The dog hybrid looked flustered and shy under their camera lenses while Chen and Junmyeon ignore them.

They get to the hybrid store and leave the nosey paparazzi behind. The store is fairly quiet, only a few patrons perusing the isles with their hybrids. The store clerk recognizes Junmyeon and greeted him in a very low key manner so as not to alert the other visitors to his presence. They make their way to the back aisles where collars are stocked.

"Go on Chanyeol," Junmyeon gestures to the rows of collars, "find one you like."

Chanyeol regards his owner and the cat hybrid before perusing down the aisle on his own. His eyes are wide and curious as he goes over each one like a child eyeing a toy rack. 

There appeared to be more variety since the last time Chen was here. Belts were a new addition, coming in a variety of colors and materials. Chen would have asked Junmyeon to change his collar if it wasn't for the fact his current one held deep sentimental value. It was the first-ever thing Chen was able to choose for himself while being with Junmyeon.

After picking out random collars and seeing how they look on him, Chanyeol seems to find what he is looking for.

"How about...this one?" Chanyeol picks out a brown leather choker, similar in design to Chen's.

"Hold on, let me put it on for you," Junmyeon says with a bright smile. He walks over to Chanyeol and helps fasten the buckle. The dog hybrid had to bend his knees for his short owner and the comical display has Chen laughing under his breath. 

The collar is on and Chen finds himself taking a moment to admire the dog hybrid. The brown leather almost matches the caramel hue of Chanyeol's eyes, it was just a few shades darker. It also matched Chanyeol's style of flannel, oversized sweaters, and jeans.

Though Chen was a little put off by the fact they both have the same type of collar, there is no denying that this collar suits Chanyeol.

"What do you think?" Junmyeon says while Chanyeol is observing himself in the mirror. "It looks pretty good, doesn't it Chen?"

The cat hybrid gives a small nod and a sound of confirmation to his owner, not wanting to sound too enthusiastic in front of the dog hybrid. Chanyeol looked really good but he didn't want the praise to go to Chanyeol's head.

Chanyeol looks at Chen with twinkling eyes as he gives his opinion. "Alright. I'll go with this one then." Chanyeol beams with a sunny smile.

"Right then," Junmyeon says while removing the collar. "I'll take this to the back and have the necessary info engraved on the inside. Chen..." He turns to the cat hybrid, "you recently broke your heat toy correct? Why don't you and Chanyeol go to that aisle and...you know."

Junmyeon's cheeks are flushed red but Chen is even redder, wishing his owner wasn't so open about his business in public. He could have just said 'Go to the heat and rut isle with Chanyeol.' No need to bring up the state of his 'toys'. Chanyeol's gaze flicks back and forth between Junmyeon and Chen in curiosity.

Heats and ruts are experienced by all hybrids. Some only have heats while some only have ruts. Both are equally a pain to deal with. That's why humans developed specific toys to help hybrids break their heats or ruts.

Chen is one of the few male cat hybrids to experience heats instead of ruts, and they are a huge pain in the ass, literally. He always has trouble satisfying his heat regardless of the size of his toy. But it's the only thing he has so he'll have to deal with it. It's easier and a lot less awkward than having Junmyeon help him.

Chanyeol has yet to experience a rut since his adoption. It's important he gets his rut device now before he starts humping every living thing in the area.

The two hybrids peruse the heat/rut aisle, casually eyeing the variety of devices and trying not to blush in embarrassment.

Chen's gaze lands on the section of artificial dog knots, going up to monstrous sizes. They looked almost comical next to the smaller cat toys. He focused on a particular black knot that caught his attention and he just...stares at it.

For the briefest moment, he considered what it would be like to get a fake knot instead of his usual cat dildo. He considered that this might be the only thing that can really break his heat. However...

Junmyeon comes back from getting Chanyeol's collar personalized and stands outside the aisle. He was always shy about entering this area, looking around nervously as he waits for his hybrids to finish their search.

When Junmyeon came into view, Chen shifted over and faced the cat heat devices, a very subtle movement so as not to catch his owner's attention.

He didn't want to concern Junmyeon.

Chen selects a heat device similar to his last one and hands it over to Junmyeon, who gives him a quick nod while placing it in his store basket. Chen couldn't help but laugh at his owner's awkwardness to these sorts of things. You'd think the actor, with his few steamy roles in film would be fine around this stuff, especially considering they aren't even designed for humans. But alas, Junmyeon is a pure man at heart. Scratch that, a pure angel at heart.

Chen turns his attention to Chanyeol, who is further down the aisle inspecting the rut section. Something seemed to have caught his eye.

He walks over to the dog hybrids, curious about his preferences. Not for any particular reason other than simple curiosity.

Rut devices are basically the hybrid equivalent to fleshlights, at least that's what Chen heard. Junmyeon bought Chen a rut device around the first few weeks of his adoption, however it was rendered useless when Chen's heat started up. Now the device sits in a box up in the attic, doomed to spend eternity in a dark limbo.

He approaches Chanyeol and the larger hybrid's ear twitches before he snaps his head to the side to look at Chen in alarm. He acted like a dear caught in the headlights before dropping his gaze and focusing back on the shelf. But his attention was on a different section now.

Chen quirked his eyebrow at Chanyeol's strange behavior. Was he that shy about his preferences?

"Did you find what you need?" Chen asks.

"Yeah-yes haha." Chanyeol stutters, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "I've never done this before so I'm not entirely sure what I should be looking for."

"Well," Chen looks to the assortment of rut devices for dogs, "most of them are one size fits all. Just pick one at random and see if it works for your ruts."

Chanyeol fidgets in place and for the first time Chen finds the dog hybrid's awkwardness to be a little cute. A kitten curled smile threatens to reach his face as he observes the shy blush appearing on Chanyeol's cheeks. Chen might be petty and a little cold, but he would never judge the dog hybrid for his preferences, especially since his own were pretty... unconventional.

"Right, right." Chanyeol says, "Ugh...Here! This will work." Chanyeol haphazardly glances over the rack before picking one and quickly making his way back to Junmyeon.

With the dog hybrid gone, Chen focuses his attention on the spot Chanyeol was interested in before his arrival. However when he saw what Chanyeol was staring at so intently, his stomach dropped.

Chanyeol was looking at 'Cat Pussie'. No, not actual cat pussy. It's the brand of rut toys for cat hybrids, selling artificial vaginas and anuses. Chen face turned beet red when he realized it was the anus section that had caught Chanyeol's attention in particular. Was the dog hybrid just curious? Or...

Chen calmed himself down, rationalizing that Chanyeol must have been staring at something else. Or if he wasn't and he really was looking at cat hybrid ass, surely he was only curious. It's not like he was actually going to get one. Besides, Chanyeol grabbed dog hybrid vagina, meaning that must be his preference. Right?

After Chen recovers from his mini meltdown, he walks over to a deeply flustered Junmyeon and a shy looking Chanyeol at the check-out counter. Junmyeon tries to nervously chat the store clerk up while she scans the 'devices'. Which seemed unnecessary since she must be used to doing this given her nonchalance. But of course Junmyeon must of still felt dirty while getting them. Chen shakes his head, baffled by his owner's bashful behavior. Meanwhile, Chanyeol is staring out the window at the manifesting crowd across the street.

When they leave the store, the group of paparazzi seemed to have grown bigger along with a few fanboys/girls. Not too big to become a problem but they did prompt the hybrids and hybrid owners to walk a little faster back to their car.

Chanyeol had his collar and it was now clear to the world that famous celebrity Mr.Kim Junmyeon has gotten himself a new dog hybrid. Tabloids and fansites were probably scrambling to get the news out right now. By the time they get back home, it will probably be everywhere online.

Junmyeon and Chen walk along, just as nonchalant as when they arrived. Chanyeol on the other hand seemed on edge from the attention, occasionally glancing back at the crowd nervously.

At some point, one of them gets a little closer than usual and Chanyeol is spooked, suddenly grabbing Chen's hand in alarm. Said cat hybrid is startled by the gesture and snaps his head up to the dog hybrid.

Chanyeol looks worried, small little whines escaping his chest. Chen roles his eyes at the pathetic display but does not shake the hand away, mostly because it would probably keep Chanyeol calm and partly because anything he did while under a camera lens could be misconstrued by the public.

Also because Junmyeon is smiling at him from behind his mask. Chen has lived with Junmyeon long enough to know when he's smile even when just his eyes are showing. Chen can't help but melt.

"Don't worry Chanyeol, they won't hurt us. Just act natural." Junmyeon reassures the dog hybrid.

Chanyeol visibly relaxes but doesn't let go of Chen's hand until they reach the car.

Just as Chen suspected, the internet was buzzing with news of Junmyeon's new malamute hybrid. Thousands of fans expressed their adoration of Chanyeol, calling him everything from cute to drop-dead gorgeous.

They also gushed over the many pictures of Chanyeol and Chen holding hands, much to Chen's disappointment. Even Chen's most popular and most trusted fan site was covered in the gossip of 'Is This Chen's New Boyfriend?' and 'Will They Be The Next Big Celebrity Hybrid Couple?'. The forums were littered with nothing but positive messages, expressing their approval of their supposed 'relationship' even though they are different species.

Chen felt betrayed. Weren't his fans supposed to go, no pun intended, feral if he ever had a relationship? They went nuts back when Junmyeon had a fling with that one actress from Japan. Chen wondered what made him so different.

Either way, he became less interested in internet fame for a while.

🐱🐶

"Chen, what do you think about this?" Chanyeol played a short little tune on his acoustic guitar. It sounded almost identical to the one he played a few minutes earlier.

And a few minutes before that.

Chen looked up from his book and narrowed his gaze on the dog hybrid. "It sounds great." He says dismissively. Chanyeol had been working on this tune for the past few weeks, strumming and adjusting his acoustic and electric guitars. He called the song "Growl". Chen thought it sounded good, really catchy. Chanyeol was definitely a masterful musician.

However, the dog hybrid was starting to drive Chen crazy, repeating a virtually identical tune over and over.

"Yeah it sounds great. But I feel like it's missing something," Chanyeol says, staring hard at his guitar as if the instrument will come to life and telling him what he needs.

"Well, I wouldn't know." Chen says, "I'm not a musician."

Chanyeol looked taken aback by Chen's statement," You're not? But you have such a wonderful singing voice." Chanyeol exclaimed.

Chen blushed, realizing that the dog hybrid must have heard him singing in the shower. He needed to remember that he was no longer alone in the house in the morning.

"No, I'm not," Chen says shyly. "But thanks I guess."

Chanyeol looks at Chen with a smirk before going back to the music room to make his usual racket.

After a few more minutes, Chanyeol switches from guitar to drum, that's when Chen really loses it. So Chen decided 'fuck it' and leaves the house. He just exited out the back sliding door, leaving Chanyeol alone to his musical chaos.

It's around 8 pm and Junmyeon wasn't going to be home till 12. Chen strolled over to his friend BamBam's house. Making sure not to alert the dog hybrid. It wasn't far, just up the street from where he lived.

Chen just needed thirty to forty minutes of peace away from Chanyeol.

BamBam's home is slightly bigger than Chen's, with a large extravagant entranceway and a backyard spacious enough to have every dog hybrid in the neighborhood drooling. Chen skips the front door and hops over the backyard wall. It's something Chen does quite often whenever he visits. Jinyoung doesn't seem to mind as long as Junmyeon is fine with it.

Chen enters the yard and is immediately greeted by the sight of BamBam doing yoga on the back porch.

"Ah, good evening Chen," BamBam says in a very zen-like tone. Clearly the other cat hybrid was very into his session.

"Yo," Chen replies, walking over to the patio and slumping down at the couch, eyes watching his friend with slight amusement. BamBam was always so flexible, bending his body into these odd shapes that had him looking possessed or something.

"So, how are things with Chanyeol? I see you guys have become the number one couple on the fan-nets," BamBam snickered.

Chen crossed his arms and pouted, "We are NOT a couple! Chanyeol just got spooked and had to hold my hand. He's such a baby."

"Uh-huh," BamBam says in a very unconvinced tone. "And what about the matching collar hm?"

"They aren't matching! He just wanted a choker for some reason." Chen fumed, "I can't believe you're teasing me like this. After I've come all this way to avoid Chanyeol's bothersome intrusions into my 8 pm reading time."

BamBam waved him down before uncurling from his unusual yoga position and sitting to face his folded eared friend.

"Chen, I think Chanyeol likes you," BamBam says simply.

"Of course he does. That's the problem." Chen rolled his eyes," dog hybrids like everyone."

"No no," BamBam says while shaking his head. "I mean Chanyeol really likes you. As in he has feelings for you."

Chen and BamBam have what seems to be staring contest before Chen finally says something.

"You're insane."

"Oh come on Chen, I saw the way Chanyeol looked at you the other day. And from what you told me about what he does in the house I bet it's all because he likes you." BamBam explained without a sign of him joking around.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this right now," Chen says in disbelief, rubbing his hand over his face in exasperation.

For a moment, the memory of Chanyeol looking at the rut devises flashes in his mind and causes his heart to race. It was a good thing BamBam's hearing is cat shit.

Then, Chen realizes something is missing. "Hey, where is Jackson?"

"Upstairs resting. He came down with a nasty fever this morning. Poor boy only spent a few minutes to eat dinner before going back to sleep." BamBam says somberly.

Chen nodded with a small 'ah ok' before turning his attention to the second floor. Both cat hybrids look up to the golded retriever's window, silently wishing the dog hybrid to get better soon.

"Jackson thinks Chanyeol has a thing for you too you know." BamBam pipes up, causing Chen to groan in annoyance.

"Well the feeling isn't mutual. I may not completely hate him as much as I did the first week. But I definitely don't like him, especially not like THAT."

BamBam shrugs with his hands and shoulders, "You should go back to him now. Poor Channie is probably worried sick about you."

"Sure, whatever," Chen grumbled, getting up from his comfortable seat and stretching. He figured Chanyeol must have given up on his drums and gone to bed by now. The dog hybrid is almost always exhausted after an intense drum session, crashing into bed right after a shower and a small bite to eat.

"Later loverboy," BamBam teased just as Chen hopped the backyard wall. The scottish fold rolled his eyes before heading in the direction of his home.

Chen still had trouble processing the conversation he just had. Not once did he ever convey to Chanyeol that he was interested in any way. As a matter of fact, Chen purposely tried to appear cold towards the Chanyeol, hoping his demeanor would put the dog hybrid off. Aside from their occasional petting sessions...

Shit, was that the reason? God what is he gonna do now?

Chen is brought out of his brooding thoughts by noises coming from someone's gated front yard. He looks over and is startled by V and Jungkook, peering down at him from over the marble wall.

"Hiya Chen!" They both say at the same time, creeping out the cat hybrid.

"Hi," Chen replies less enthusiastically.

"What are you doing out so late?" V asks, drooping one ear down to signal his confusion.

"It's not really your business, but if you must know I was just visiting a friend," Chen says while continuing his walk. "What are you two doing out so late?"

"We heard Chanyeol," Jungkook says.

Chen's steps slow to a stop, he turns around to look at the two dog hybrids. "What?"

V and Jungkook look at each other, the worry in their eyes evident.

"Jungkook and I were about to start a session of Overwatch when we heard Chanyeol's voice," V says.

"He sounds....scared...", Jungkook adds before they both look in the direction of Chen's house. Their sensitive ears twitch, signaling that they indeed heard something.

Chen felt unsettle by their statement, "I have to go," he said before walking away, his pace a little faster than before.

"Tell Chanyeol we said hi!" V calls out, but Chen doesn't hear it.

He's too distracted by the sinking feeling in his stomach.

What happened to Chanyeol?

🐱🐶

When he is a few yards away from the house, Chen's ears start to pick up distressed noises, causing Chen's stomach to sink even further. It was definitely the sound of a frightened dog hybrid. He slides the glass door open and the high pitched whines get even louder. The cat hybrid follows the dreadful sound, searching for Chanyeol's location in the house.

With each passing second, Chen's anxiety grew, wondering what happened to the dog hybrid while he was gone. Did he hurt himself? Did he get himself stuck somewhere? Is he in pain?

Chanyeol sounded like he was dying.

Chen finally found the source of high pitched whimpers and his chest tightened. The noise was coming from the upstairs broom closet, just big enough to fit someone inside. But why was Chanyeol in there?

With a shaky deep breath, Chen pulls the door open and the noises cease.

There, curled up in a fetal position, is Chanyeol. He's hugging his legs, his head buried into his knees, body trembling ever so slightly. That couldn't be a comfortable position, especially not for a hybrid of his size huddled in such a cramped space.

"Chanyeol?" Chen says carefully, kneeling down to inspect the trembling dog hybrid. His heart jackhammering against his chest at the possibility of Chanyeol getting hurt while he was gone.

At the sound of his his name being called, Chanyeol looked up, showing Chen his glassy caramel eyes, reddened from his crying.

"Are you alr-"

"Where did you go?" Chanyeol says his voice barely above a whisper.

Chen's chest grows even tighter. He bites his lip," I...just stepped ou-."

Before Chen could finish his sentence, Chanyeol surges forward, wrapping his large arms around Chen, clutching the cat hybrid's smaller frame. The action scares Chen for a moment before he registers the gesture as a hug.

"Why did you leave!?" Chanyeol cries into Chen's shoulder. "Was it because of me?"

Chen doesn't answer.

"Was it because I was a bad boy? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll be a good boy from now on. A really good boy. The best! Just please don't leave!" Chanyeol said, his breathing becoming haggard and strained.

It was evident that Chanyeol was having some kind of panic episode. Chen had never seen the dog hybrid sound so desperate and terrified before. He was acting as if Chen left him for a longer period of time.

As if he was abandoned.

Chen wrapped his arms around the weeping hybrid's torso, gently patting his shoulder blades. Chanyeol continues to cry, his words become garbled as he continued to apologize over and over to Chen. Though at this point, Chen was pretty sure Chanyeol wasn't apologizing to him exactly.

Chanyeol is seriously fucked up.

And so was Chen once upon a time.

Once Chanyeol stomps crying, they stay in that position. Chen felt frozen under the dog hybrid's hold, not sure if he should move or keep holding Chanyeol. Not sure if pulling away would send Chanyeol right back to the pit of despair and grief.

It's only when Chen hears the steady breathing of the dog hybrid's sleep that he finally dares to pull away. Chen looks at Chanyeol's face and sees that his puffy eyes are closed, tear tracks staining his cheeks. Chanyeol's grip also loosens around Chen's torso, making it easier for the cat hybrid to maneuver around and free himself.

It was a good thing Chanyeol's room was right next to them, meaning Chen didn't have to travel a long distance with a large dog hybrid leaning on his back. Chen set Chanyeol down on his bed, the larger hybrid doesn't even flinch, out like a light. He really cried himself to exhaustion.

While Chen tucked Chanyeol into bed, a pool of regret swirled around his guts. He had no idea the dog hybrid would react that way to his absence. Something told him that Chanyeol wouldn't have felt any better if he actually announced his leaving. This was something way deeper.

Chen looked over Chanyeol once more, seeing how the larger hybrid looked more comfortable now, his shallow breaths becoming more stable. Chanyeol is on his back, the blanked raising to the rhythm of his breathing. 

The image of Chanyeol fast asleep makes Chen sigh in relief. He wasn't sure how the dog hybrid was going to feel tomorrow morning, but for now he had everything under control.

Chen heads downstairs to drink a glass of milk before heading up to his room and preparing for bed. However, he decided to stay up in wait for Junmyeon to come home.

He has a few questions for him.

🐱🐶

Junmyeon comes home at about 1 am looking exhausted from a long day of filming. Apparently the drama he was staring in required him to do tons of stunts. It's a good thing Junmyeon is in great shape.

"Oh, you're still awake?," Junmyeon says when he enters the living room and sees Chen sitting on the couch.

Chen debated with himself if he should wait till tomorrow morning to ask Junmyeon about Chanyeol. But considering that they have such a short amount of time in the morning to talk, Chen decided that tonight was the best chance to talk to Junmyeon. Besides, he was worried about Chanyeol's behavior in the morning. If his actions might have seriously traumatized the dog hybrid.

No. Chanyeol was traumatized long before Chen did anything. He just didn't want to exacerbate the dog hybrid's mental scars.

"I couldn't sleep," Chen says, getting up from the couch and following Junmyeon to his room.

Junmyeon isn't uncomfortable with the cat hybrid's presence when undressing. They've lived together long enough to see each other naked. It's normal for them. However, Junmyeon is irked by the way Chen is acting bothered by something. As a hybrid owner, he's able to pick up on something wrong immediately.

"Are you ok?" Junmyeon asks while changing into his pajamas, concern evident in his gentle gaze. It never fails to coerce Chen to talk about what's on his mind.

The cat hybrid shifts his weight on his feet while standing in the doorway. He takes a glance down the hall, in the direction of Chanyeol's room, before shutting the door behind him and walking over to Junmyeon's bed.

Junmyeon smiles at Chen's cute behavior and gets into bed with the cat hybrid, allowing Chen to use his shoulder as a pillow.

They used to do this often. Back when Chen had finally adjusted to living a normal life. Back when Chen initially formed his tight bond to Junmyeon. They would sleep in Junmyeon's bed and Chen would fall asleep in his kind owner's embrace.

"Junmyeon," Chen says after they slide into a comfortable position. "Did something happen to Chanyeol before you adopted him?"

Junmyeon's jaw seemed to grow tight as his eyes dart between Chen's. The hybrid owner looked conflicted, and it only made the sensation of dread rise in Chen's stomach.

"When I first saw Chanyeol," Junmyeon began, focusing his gaze to the ceiling, "he wasn't as happy and cheerful as he is now. Chanyeol was once quiet, reticent. His eyes were dull and distant. He didn't even play with the other dog hybrids at the shelter." Junmyeon looks down at Chen with a sad smile. "Does that sound familiar?"

Chen's orange eyes widen, mouth agape from what he was hearing.

"I talked with one of the shelter managers and all they knew was that Chanyeol was abruptly abandoned after some incident with his owner. He spent about six months in an empty home, all by himself." Junmyeon continues. "If it wasn't for the neighbor realizing Chanyeol's owner never returned, who knows how long he would have stayed there?"

A lump formed in Chen's throat while he listened to Junmyeon. Abandonment was a serious problem that plagues the hybrid community. It mostly stemmed from owners underestimating the amount of time that must be put into caring for a hybrid. This was especially prevalent among dog hybrid, who are far less independent than other hybrids and require more attention. Abandonment can also lead to a load of mental problems: self-esteem issues, lack of self-worth, anxiety attacks, depression, etc.

Suddenly Chanyeol's behavior made sense, not just from last night but even further back. All the way since Junmyeon first adopted him. Chen found Chanyeol annoying and tried to ignore him. But now that he is processing it all threw a new lens, it has him feeling a little guilty for treating the dog hybrid like that.

"I occasionally visited the shelter over time." Junmyeon continues "Basically, I reached out to Chanyeol and slowly broke him out of his shell. Eventually the light returned to his eyes." Junmyeon looks at Chen. "Just like someone else I know."

Chen pouts and swats at Junmyeon's arm playfully, he finds it impossible to hide his kitten curled smile from the hybrid owner. Especially when said owner is laughing and ruffling his hair. Junmyeon always manages to make his heart swell from the simplest of things.

After Chen says he has no more questions, they both close their eyes and try to sleep. Chen instinctually curls up at Junmyeon's side and eventually falls asleep to his sweet owner's quiet snores.

🐱🐶

It's the next morning. Junmyeon's already of to work, leaving Chen alone with Chanyeol like always.

However, Chen feels a twinge of anxiety when the dog hybrid fails to wake up early to see Junmyeon. Chanyeol never misses Junmyeon in the morning.

Chen now sits on the couch just like last night, another internal war ravaging his insides as he goes over yesterday's events. Chanyeol's meltdown was the most prominent memory and it was eating Chen up inside. Damn it, why didn't Junmyeon tell him about Chanyeol's past sooner?

Just when Chen was about to go on an internal tirade chastising his owner's foolishness, he hears footsteps from the staircase leading to his and Chanyeol's rooms. Muscles becoming stiff and jaw tightening, Chen looks over his shoulder.

"G' morning," Chanyeol slurs right before a long yawn.

Chen just blinks at the dog hybrid, somewhat stunned. Chanyeol's hair is messy, sticking out in all directions. His eyes are half-lidded, almost closed as he makes his way to the kitchen. He's also still in pajamas, which was usually uncharacteristic of Chanyeol as he usually takes a shower and is ready for the day, even if he doesn't have anywhere to go.

"Goodmorning," Chen says carefully. "Did you sleep well?"

Chanyeol gave him a sleepy smile. "I don't know." He says, a laugh in his tone. "The events of last night are a little fuzzy." Chanyeol looks in the pantry and squints at the cereal brands, trying to read them in his drowsy state.

"What do you remember?" Chen knows he shouldn't ask. Shouldn't trying and bring back Chanyeol's memories. But it was important. How else was he going to apologize for what happened?

"Hmm." Chanyeol knitted his eyebrows, gaze fixed on one of the cereal boxes. "I remember playing the piano for a bit. And then...I was scared." He brings a hand up to massage his temple. "Then I blacked out or something."

Chen swallowed nervously, concern for the dog hybrid rising.

"I probably just fell asleep composing again." Chanyeol muses, rubbing his nose shyly.

"Chanyeol", Chen says his tone stern. Said dog hybrid looks Chen in the eyes and his smile fades when he notices the cat hybrid's serious aura.

"Come sit," Chen pats the spot next to him on the couch, his gaze narrowed. But his pupils weren't quite slits to indicate anger.

Chanyeol tilts his head in curiosity before walking over to Chen, abandoning his milkless bowl of cereal. He sits where Chen instructs him, crowding close to the cat hybrid, his large caramel eyes inspecting Chen's face.

So as not to accidentally get entranced by the dog hybrids gaze, Chen looks down and grabbed Chanyeol's hands into his, focusing on how large they are compared to his own.

"I just want to say, sorry for acting cold towards you." Chen licked his lips nervously, "You don't deserve that."

Chen pauses for a bit. When Chanyeol stays silent he decided to continue.

"I'll never leave you alone. Ok?" Chen keeps his gaze down, unable to look Chanyeol in the eye, too consumed by shame.

"Uh...uhm."

The sound of Chanyeol's cracking voice is enough to make Chen look up, thinking the dog hybrid might have broken down again. But instead, he sees...something else.

Chanyeol's eyes are wide and a lopsided smile is across his face, pink dusting his cheeks. He seems to flinch when Chen's gaze in on him, his ears straightened up at attention.

"Ah, well... uh thank you Chen. that's very nice of you." Chanyeol's voice cracks again and this time it's Chen's turn to tilt his head in confusion.

That wasn't the reaction he was expecting.

"I-I'm going to go and take a shower," Chanyeol beams with a stutter. He squeezed Chen's hands before releasing them and getting up from his seat.

Chen blinked at the dog hybrid walking away, eyeing how his tail was wagging furiously.

He's so weird.

Regardless, Chen was relieved that his actions from yesterday didn't seriously hurt Chanyeol. Junmyeon worked so hard to turn Chanyeol back into a fun loving dog hybrid. Chen wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he was the cause of Chanyeol's spiral back into despair.

For his owner's sake he had to make sure Chanyeol stays the way he is.

That's it. All for Junmyeon.

No other reason.

🐱🐶

"It's the maid," Chanyeol says abruptly.

"What?" Chen replies to the dog hybrid. "No way. It's obviously the butler. "

Chen started watching crime/investigation dramas by himself after he finally got fed up with Junmyeon's inability to sit with him and watch when he comes back from work. Even on the weekends Junmyeon is busy in his office doing boring human work things.

Chanyeol had sat down on the other side of the couch and they have been sitting in silence until now when the dog hybrid suddenly spits out a theory.

"Listen, when detective Jiwoo talked to the maid, she said that she didn't arrive at work until 8 am," Chanyeol said, waving his hands around as if trying to shape his thoughts. "If that's true how did she know to bring her umbrella if it only rained around 6? If the skies were clear at the time she arrived, why did she bring it?"

"That doesn't mean anything," Chen says dismissingly, "What matters is motive. Officer J.Seph talked to the butler and it's clear that he didn't like Doyoon at all. He also had mud on his shoes, meaning he was there the morning of Doyoon's murder."

Chanyeol crossed his arms and glared at the TV for a few seconds as the colorful commercials flashed by. He looked like he was deep in thought, trying to process all the information gathered so far. His fluffy ears twitching every few seconds.

Chen watched the dog hybrid, a small smile threatening to appear. For some reason, he enjoyed seeing Chanyeol completely stumped. It was kind of...

Cute.

"Ok, ok," Chanyeol says, rubbing his face. "Maybe it is the butler. But..." He knitted his eyebrows at Chen, "doesn't it feel a bit too obvious? I mean, Detective Jiwoo and Officer J.Seph both seem sure it's him. Wouldn't there be a twist or something?"

Now Chen is the one second guessing. He crosses his arms and glares at the TV.

In a way Chanyeol was correct. It did seem strange how the show would make it this obvious. Detective Jiwoo and Officer J.Seph are on their way to arrest the murderer, but the show didn't explain who they are going for yet. Jiwoo just got a phone call and then she looked at J.Seph with that 'We got em' look before getting into a car. There was also Agent BM and Agent Somin who are still discovering clues that don't connect to the butler.

Chen bit his lip. Maybe it wasn't him...

Before the hybrids can continue the discussion, the show returns and their focus is locked on the screen.

The events unfold and the hybrids are dumbfounded.

Detective Jiwoo and Officer J.Seph drive next door and arrest the neighbor, a man that was only shown once at the beginning, the one who discovered Doyoon's body. Agent BM and Agent Somin break down the evidence in front of the man and indirectly to the audience. They reference material that hasn't been seen since the first few minutes of the episode, even showing flashbacks to demonstrate what exactly happened.

Chen and Chanyeol sat in their seats, mouths agape as the investigators blew the case open. Neither of them saw it coming. Chen had written off the neighbor because it didn't make sense for the killer to call the authorities. However the show's explanation made perfect sense, making Chen feel like a fool.

When the man is arrested and Jiwoo is teasing BM, the two hybrids look at each other with deadpan expressions.

Then Chanyeol breaks out into hearty laughter his eyes closing and his deep voice fills the room. Chen chuckles at first. But when Chanyeol suddenly snorts, that's when Chen really starts to lose it.

"What's going on here?"

Both hybrids turn to the direction of their owner's voice, their loud laughter stifled into giggles.

Junmyeon is looking at them with a quicked eyebrow and an amused expression, eye flicking between the hybrids behind thick-rimmed glasses. In one hand was a script for his next movie, in the other was a mug with 'Best Owner' printed on the side.

"Nothing's going on," Chanyeol says, trying and failing to hold back his laughter.

"We're just watching some serious shows," Chen says, more successful in his suppression of giggles.

"Yes, very serious," Chanyeol adds before muffling another snort that nearly breaks Chen.

Junmyeon shakes his head at the silly hybrids, "Alright then. Pardon the intrusion." He sets the mug on the countertop and heads up to his room, glancing back at Chen with a smile before he makes his exit.

For some reason it has Chen's endorphins shooting up the roof, smiling back at his owner with a cheshire grin.

When Chanyeol's laughter abruptly stops, Chen turns his attention back to the dog hybrid.

Chanyeol has a strange expression on his face, his eyes are wide and his mouth is slightly parted, looking like he was shocked by something. Before Chen could ask what was wrong, Chanyeol looks down at the carpet and smiles shyly. Chen could swear he sees the dog hybrid blushing.

"Shall we keep watching?" Chanyeol asks, turning back to the TV screen.

"...Sure." Chen replied, feeling shy and confused about the sudden change in the atmosphere around the dog hybrid.

But it didn't feel entirely unpleasant.

The hybrids sit and watch another episode of CSI: Seoul, this time without coming up with wacky predictions. Then when the show is over, a slower-paced kdrama comes on.

They decide to sit and watch, barely realizing that their positions on the couch have shifted.

Now Chanyeol was laying his head on Chen's lap. The cat hybrid gently rubbed the sensitive spot right underneath Chanyeol's ear, the spot that never failed to place him in a trance, the spot where Chen couldn't resist touching the fluff.

They stay like this for the rest of the night, silently enjoying each other's company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How yall like my KARD reference haha.
> 
> Anyways, I was thinking about completing the whole story before posting but since the first part has been sitting on my phone for weeks now I've been getting antsy to get it out there. Especially since I've been cooped up in my house for so long lol. I'm thinking this is going to be either a 2 or 3 part story. Not sure yet. We'll see haha. Almost done with the rough draft.
> 
> I'm also playing with my format a bit. I noticed from reading other writer's material that things are easier to read when paragraphs are more spaced out. At least for me that it, heheh.
> 
> Tell me what you guys think so far in the meantime.
> 
> Oh, and I hope everyone is doing well during these difficult times. Stay safe everyone.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Renard~


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there. I finally managed to get this out haha.
> 
> In this chapter, things get a little 'heated'. You'll understand what I mean soon.
> 
> Some information about hybrids before you continue reading. Hybrids regardless of sex all produce slick when aroused. Hybrids that experience heats produce more of course. Maybe I'll explain why in a future story but for now, just know that they all do that.
> 
> As always, if I have any spelling mistakes I'll correct them as soon as possible.
> 
> Happy reading.
> 
> ~Renard

(Four Months Later)

Chen glares at the ceiling, pupils constricted into slits. Any human who saw him right now would likely find his appearance menacing. But Chen didn't care. He was pissed off.

  
Today was the beginning of his heat.

A full week of raging hormones and a whole lot of sexual frustration.

  
Chen's heats are random, not as consistent as a human female's period or a female animal cat's heat. Sometimes he can go months without having a heat cycle, only for it to appear at the worst moment possible.

  
One time, Chen's heat showed up while he was on a trip overseas with Junmyeon. It was a week of Chen clinging to Junmyeon and rubbing his face into his owner at every possible inappropriate moment. It was awkward to say the least.

  
Chen got up from the bed, his face still carrying a scowl as his insides tingled. He glanced over at the unopened box containing his heat device. It had cute little designs of happy cartoon cat hybrids on it, somehow even further agitating Chen.

  
With a sigh, he opened the box and got the device prepared for later, when the main event of his heat finally hits. Sadly, Chen already knew that this one wasn't going to help him. With his luck, it would probably break like the last one.

  
Chen sets the device on his night table and leaves his room, not even bothering to change out of his pajamas pants and t-shirt.

  
He needed food.

  
When Chen enters into the kitchen he is surprised to see Chanyeol there, making something sweet on the stove. The dog hybrid looks up to meet Chen's gaze and smiles at him, seemingly unfazed by the cat hybrids unruly appearance.

  
"Good morning," Chanyeol beams while sprinkling cinnamon into a pot. "I'm making oatmeal for Junmyeon. Want some?"

  
Chen licks his lips while walking over to Chanyeol side. He looks into the pot and observed the creamy mixture. The consistency looked milkier than usual, but it shouldn't matter too much. Junmyeon didn't like his oatmeal thick.

  
While Chen continued to stare at the mixture being churned around by the wooden spoon, he completely fails to answer Chanyeol question. A thick haze was shrouding his thoughts as he watched the swirl of creamy goodness. 

  
Chen's trance is broken by Chanyeol's deep voice. He looks up at the taller hybrid who has an insistent look on his face. Chanyeol shakes his head and smiles when Chen blinks at him obliviously.

"Do you want some?" Chanyeol reiterated. 

Then Chen's nose picks up another scent.

"What else are you preparing?" Chen asks.

Chanyeol tilts his head. "What do you mean?"

Chen's eyes narrowed and his pupils turned to slits once again, this time aimed at the dog hybrid, ember eyes practically glowing. A low rumbling noise rises from Chen's chest, projecting in an ominous tone.

Chanyeol drops his smile and is visibly taken aback by the cat hybrid's sudden shift in behavior. 

"Che-", Chanyeol is cut off by a menacing snarl from Chen. He stumbles back and Chen is right there with him, his frightening gaze never leaving the dog hybrid's face. 

Chen was completely driven by his instincts now. In heat he becomes more feral, the littlest of things could set him off into a rage or cuddle session. Chen doesn't usual succumb to the rage side of his heat. But something about Chanyeol was really setting him off. Unfortunately, Chen's too out of his mind to pull himself together.

Chanyeol was backed up against the adjacent counter, the edge pressed into his lower back. He stared down at the cat hybrid with wide caramel brown eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. 

Chen's nostrils continue to flare as he takes in the scent that set him of. 

It's the dog hybrid making that scent.

It's coming from Chanyeol. 

Chen's growls die down and his sharp gaze finally leaves Chanyeol's face to settle on the dog hybrid's physique. 

Chanyeol has gotten a lot thicker since his adoption, muscular arms and torso well defined under his black t-shirt. Chen couldn't see it through Chanyeol's cargo pants, but he knew there were slim strong legs underneath, just below a firm butt. 

It's a view he has seen before, yet with his hormones going crazy, Chanyeol looked like a 'snack'.

Chen licks his lips and notices Chanyeol staring at the action, swallowing while watching the cat hybrid closely. 

The dog hybrid looked intimidated.

And Chen liked that.

When he leans in to sniff at Chanyeol's collarbone, the dog hybrid doesn't move away, completely held in place by Chen's feral aura. Chanyeol may be the bigger hybrid, but size doesn't always equate to power.

The cat hybrid's nose was only a few centimeters away from Chanyeol's flesh, the alluring scent shootings straight up into his nasal cavity, providing him with some kind of high. It smelled even better than the catnip that Chen rolled around in at BamBam's birthday party. It smelled even better than that new detergent that made Chen obsessed with Junmyeon's fresh laundry. 

Damn, it smelled so fucking good.

Chen opens his eyes, pupils now dilated and round as opposed to the menacing slits from before. If he still had his tail it would be swaying in interest.

He needed that scent on him.

Before Chen does anything drastic, Junmyeon walks in to the kitchen. 

"Good morning!", Junmyeon says while tightening his tie. He had a nice black business suit with a light blue undershirt and a royal blue tie. His hair is slicked back to expose his forehead, a few strands fell to touch his eyebrows, making him look more handsome.

"Something smells goo- wah!" Junmyeon is cut off by Chen practically tackling him, thankfully not to the floor, but it certainly knocked the wind out of him. "What's your deal this morning?"

Chen rubbed his face into Junmyeon's chest, allowing the pleasant and familiar scent to fill his nostrils. Small mewling noises radiated from his chest as he wraps his arms around his owner, clinging to the suit fabric. 

"Ah I see," Junmyeon smiles upon recognizing this behavior. "Your heat has arrived." 

Chen only answers with a slightly louder mewl at his owner, continuing to burying his nose in the comforting smell. Junmyeon's scent always helped him stay on the saner side of his heat, reducing him into a cuddly mess.

Junmyeon pulls Chen away to look at his face, "Remember to eat enough and drink alot of fluids alright," he says to the hybrid. He rubbed his thumbs comfortingly into Chen's upper arms, an action with never failed to bring Chen comfort.

"You're in heat?" 

The dog hybrid's voice caused Chen to snap his head back, feral glare on full display with a higher pitched growl. He pulls Junmyeon closer to him, holding the man in an overly possessive manner. 

Chanyeol was still stunned by the earlier encounter, looking at Chen as if he had transformed into a ferocious beast. But he dropped one of his ears down and tilted his head, highlighting his curiosity. 

"You don't need to worry about him," Junmyeon reassures while tickling Chen's side, causing the cat hybrid to quickly pull away. "What are you cooking Channie?"

The nickname to the dog hybrid coming out his owner's mouth somehow has Chen seething, even though he's heard it hundreds of times already. 

"Right," Chanyeol laugh's nervously, "I made some oatmeal for you." He glances over Junmyeon's shoulder at the cat hybrid, currently crossing his arms and staring daggers at him.

"Looks good," Junmyeon complimented while pulling three bowls out of the cabinet. "Let's have breakfast together."

The hybrid owner beams, completely oblivious to the growing tension between the two hybrids.

🐱🐶

Having breakfast together was a fairly rare occasion. It was difficult with Junmyeon often having to wake up early, sometimes around 4 or 5 am to arrive at the film set on time. 

Every once and a while, Junmyeon gets a role that doesn't require him to travel far, or the filming takes place later in the day. These times are perfect for an early morning breakfast with his hybrids. The hybrid owner enjoyed these precious moments the most, even if he was only talking to a cheery Chanyeol while Chen scowled and interjected scarcely. 

However, this was different then their previous breakfast sitting.

Junmyeon remained the same, asking question and making small talk about work. But Chen was sitting at his side, chair pulled right against his owner's so he could continue to rub his face and mewl into his owners shoulder. Chanyeol was quieter than usual, only responding to Junmyeon with short hums.

It would appear that Junmyeon is either choosing to ignore the tense atmosphere between his hybrids, or he's too distracted by his morning endorphins to notice. He was a early bird after all.

Or maybe humans can't detect these kinds of things. Who knows. 

Chen was slowly beginning to regain his sanity as he ingested the milky oatmeal. It was good, not the greatest oatmeal he's ever had, but still pretty good. Maybe he's only thinking that because he's hungry. Or maybe he's to fixated on that scent from earlier. The scent he wants all over him.

The dog hybrid seems to loosen up as well when Chen's behavior simmers down. He steals a couple of curious glances at the cat hybrid eating. Chen catches Chanyeol watching him and glares. It's not as strong as before but it's enough to get the larger hybrid to look away. 

"That was great Chanyeol," Junmyeon beams once he finishes his bowl. 

Chen hums in agreement while finishing his as well. He could go for some more actually. But he doesn't ask. 

Chanyeol's ears perk up and he smiles brightly at Junmyeon's compliment. Chen bets the dog hybrid's tail is wagging like crazy.

They finish breakfast and quickly clean up before Junmyeon heads out to work. 

"It's a good thing you got yourself a new heat device," Junmyeon muses while ruffling Chen's hair. "Don't push yourself too hard ok? Take it easy."

He purposely lingers on the flaps of Chen's ears to get a small pleased mewl out of him. Chen was blushing profusely at his owner's words, remembering what happened during his last heat. Junmyeon ruffles Chanyeol's hair and says a quick farewell to both hybrids before taking his leave.

As soon as the door closes, it's quiet.

The anxious dog hybrid turns to the cat hybrid in heat, trying not to make direct eye contact with his ember gaze.

"So..how are you feelin-"

"Don't touch me. Don't talk to me. Don't even look at me. Got it?"

"Y-yes sir!"

🐱🐶

  
For the rest of the day, the two hybrids are awkward around each other. 

Well, Chanyeol is the awkward one.

The cat hybrid is completely consumed by his instincts, glaring at the dog hybrid every time he entered his general vicinity. Even growling when the other gets too close.

Chen tried his best to keep his distance from Chanyeol but that damn scent from this morning was still trapped in his sinuses, triggering his instincts to no end. 

It was like a fresh woodsy smell, mixed in with wild flower nectar. Chen couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was like nothing he had ever smelled before. It's strong, permeating his nasal cavity.

The deeper part of his subconscious wanted to snuggle up with Chanyeol, lay down on the dog hybrid's warm body and never get up.

The sane part of him wanted to stay far away from Chanyeol, never allow the dog hybrid to get close to him. Not in the vulnerable state he's in.

It's this internal conflict that is causing him to treat Chanyeol with hostility, only able to glare and snarl at him before running out of the room. Chen tried to stay in his room and wait for the heat to really hit. But his primal instincts always lead him out, gravitating him towards the other hybrid in the house, forcing him towards the pleasant scent.

It's now 8 pm and Chen just finished eating a plate of chicken and rice when Chanyeol came in. He was likely looking for something to eat for dinner.

Chanyeol initially flinches when he sees the cat hybrid but quickly relaxes and tries to act natural. He casually walks over to the fridge and pulls out the left over oatmeal from this morning. His jaw is tight and his stride is careful, treating Chen as if he were a raptor.

Chen narrowed his eyes at him while cleaning his plate in the sink. He has to hold his breath as Chanyeol passes by, not wanting to snap and lunge at the dog hybrid. 

A small part of him appreciated Chanyeol's effort not to set him off. Perhaps after his heat subsides he can commend Chanyeol being so considerate, especially to someone who was clearly spooking him.

Though, just when Chen thought he was out of the woods, his inner cat is triggered. 

Chanyeol sits on the sofa watching television, a popular superhero movie. Chen can only see the back of his head, but what really catches Chen's interest are the ears. Chanyeol's fluffy malamute ears that he has grown fond of touching on occasion, mostly during their small petting sessions.

Chen's heart races, his eyes dilate into perfect circles, and his fingers twitch in anticipation. He doesn't even realize he's moving forward until he is standing directly behind an unsuspecting Chanyeol. The dog hybrid's attention is locked on the screen, an empty oatmeal bowl in his lap, completely oblivious to the other hybrid's presence. 

So when the cat hybrid grabs the side of his ears, he jumps.

"Wha-!" Chanyeol cuts himself off with a gasp when the cat hybrid starts rubbing the fluff of his ears. The motion is firm, small fingers digging into the fur. Within seconds Chanyeol is laying his head on the back of the couch, eyes closed and lips parted. Chen's fingers immobilize him, putting him in the zen state that all dog hybrids succumb to once their most sensitive spot is being touched.

Chen is completely enamored and consumed by the fluff underneath his fingertips, a deep purr escaping his chest as the objects of his fascination are in his grasp. This was far better than any ball of yarn.

His temporary high is shattered when the dog hybrid suddenly moans, snapping Chen back to reality. 

Chen's eyes focus and he sees Chanyeol looking up at him though lidded eyes, and a very...wanton expression. 

"Chen."

Oh fuck.

Heart shooting up into his throat, Chen immediantly released the fluffy ears and jumped back. Horrified and embarrassed by what just happened, both by the dog hybrid's behavior and his own.

Chanyeol blinks a bit and shakes his head, trying to snap out of his own little daze.

But before that happens, Chen is already making a mad dash towards his room, his pulse racing and breathing erratic. Chen slams the door and locks it before sliding to the floor. His head falls to his knees as he hugs his legs, body trembling.

Chen could feel his insides twisting into knots, his blood practically singing. Every part of his body was telling him to go back down stares and take what he needs.

And it terrified him.

He can't do it. 

Not with Chanyeol. 

  
🐱🐶

  
_Chen tossed and turned in bed, his naked body glowing in the moonlight. A light breeze seeped in from the open window, cooling off the cat hybrid's heated skin._

_The bed sheets were uncomfortable so Chen kicked them off the bed. He didn't care when they hit the floor, too distracted by his tingling body. Chen sighed as a particularly cold breeze touched his bare form._

_He could go for a good fuck right about now._

_Almost as if on cue, a warm presence appears over him._

_Chen opens his eyes and spots the most handsome cat hybrid he has ever seen._

_An American Curl with snow white hair, matching rounded ears and a fluffy tail. He was thick, muscular thick which nothing on but ripped jeans._ _He had beautiful blue eyes that gazed down at Chen affectionately._

_"Hey," the stranger says in a sweet voice, "What's a cute little kitty like you doing all alone on a heat night."_

_Chen's eyes are half lidded and a sultry smirk crosses his face. "Not much." He coos, running his fingers up and down the hybrid's biceps. "I'm Chen."_

_The other cat hybrid purrs at Chen's ministrations, flexing his muscles and giving Chen a better view of his body._

_"My friends call me Minnie or XiuXiu," he hums, "But you can call me Tom."_

_Chen giggles at the name, understanding it's a reference to 'tomcat', basically a nickname for cat hybrid studs. It's cute and hot at the same time._

_"Well Mr.Tom," Chen says before shifting his position in order to look more demure, "Won't you give me a hand?"_

_The tomcat licks his lips as his gaze roams over Chen's naked form. "With pleasure." He groans before pulling Chen into a heated kiss._

_Chen moans into the tomcat's mouth, slick starting to drip from his hole. His body reflexively opened up to the tomcat, legs opening up to allow the handsome cat hybrid closer._

_He felt like he was floating on a cloud._

_Fingers slip inside him with ease, Chen doesn't even flinch, allowing them to poke and prod his insides. When they push down on a particularly sensitive spot, he gasps and arches his back as pleasure shoots up his spine._

_"Mmm, that feels lovely, " Chen says, clamping down on the fingers and purring in delight._

_"It will feel even better once I'm inside you," the tomcat says before pulling his fingers out. The action makes Chen whine a little but it quiets down when he feels the head of the tomcat's cock push gently against his rim._

_"Hmfgh!" Chen's body spasms at the initial intrusion before going lax, opening up for the long shaft. It felt better and better as it slid further inside, airy moans spilling from his mouth._

_"You're so tight," groaned the tomcat, cupping Chen's head between his hands, "You haven't done this in a while have you?"_

_"Mmm," Chen hums while shaking his head, "Just with toys." His voice is breathy, just barely above a whisper._

_Chen was so turned on right now, clenching down on the tom cat's thick shaft. He could feel his orgasm quickly approaching, coming to provide him with that much needed release. The release that will finally break his heat._

_"I'll give you what you're looking for," the tomcat whispers against Chen lips before thrusting into him with all his might._

_Chen is immediately screaming in pleasure, throwing his head back and squeezing his eyes shut. The thrusts are powerful and unforgiving, assaulting Chen's insides without mercy. It's absolutely perfect._

_His stomach flutters and the excitement of orgasm washes over him, laughing in between his high pitched cries._

_Right before he hits his climax, Chen starts to feel a swell at the base of the other hybrid's cock, stretching his rim even further. The tomcat's groans get deeper, sounding completely different now._

_"Chen."_

_Everything goes dark._

Chen wakes with his body practically burning up, frantically kicking the blanket off before he suffocates.

He's breathing heavily, heart pumping, and body trembling. Looking down, he sees his cock standing up at attention, rock hard. It's almost to the point of being painful. The sheets below him are already soaked in his slick.

"Shit," Chen whines while shifting in bed, the movement making his shaft ache. He carefully reaches over to the nightstand and picks up the heat device, praying that it would be enough this time.

Chen waists no time, he shoves the device inside all in one go, biting back a strangled cry. It hurt but not as much as when he was empty.

"Come on. Come on." He whimpers while thrusting and rotating the heat device inside. He released a choked sob when it brushed up against his prostate, providing some relief for the moment. 

However as more seconds past the pleasure faded and the unsatisfied sensation washes over him.

"No no no!," Tears well up in his eyes when the device doesn't work, just like last time. Even stroking his cock didn't seem to work. He felt completely helpless. 

Just as he was about to break down and cry. A thought crosses his mind. 

A thought traveling back to when he was standing in the heat/rut aisle of the hybrid store.

When he was staring at that black toy knot.

Chen licked his lips, shutting his eyes and pushing the heat device further in while fantasizing about the one at the store. Imagining it stretching him so good, pushing at his sensitive rim. Fuck.

If only he had that one instead.

'Chen'

It was like a switch flipped in his head. Chen's eyes shot open, pupils dilated to the point where his ember irises are barely visible. He pulls the heat devise out and throws it to the floor.

Then, Chen is walking across his room to the door, exiting and making his way down the hall. Slick slowly oozed from his hole, running down his inner thigh.

Chen's body is now on autopilot, primal instincts taking over. He isn't even aware of where he's going exactly, a thick fog clouding his mind. This could be a dream for all he knew. Maybe he was still in his bed, sweating himself to death under his sheets.

The cat hybrid stops in front of a door. His mind only now processing it as belonging to the dog hybrid.

Yes, this is what he needed. 

Chen quietly opened the door, peering in to see inside. 

Chanyeol is fast asleep, facing up on his back. In his tossing and turning, the blanket has fallen off of him, displaying his clothed body. But even in a t-shirt and pajama pants, the dog hybrid looked enticing, especially with the moonlight seeping in from the window.

Biting his lip, Chen entered the room and approached the snoozing hybrid.

Chanyeol's face was serene, eyelashes delicately touching his cheeks. Steady breaths leave his nose as his chest rises in rhythm. His messy hair stuck out in every direction, partly exposing his forehead. 

The cat hybrid lowers his gaze and sharply inhales when he notices the hem of Chanyeol's shirt was partly lifted, exposing part of his tummy. 

And oh god, the carpet matches the drapes. 

The next thing Chen knew, he was already crawling onto the bed, Chanyeol's delicious scent further clouding his judgement. He situates himself above the dog hybrid so that he's straddling strong thighs, the muscle makes him quiver.

Chanyeol stirs only a little bit from the weight, his ears twitched and his eyebrows are pinched slightly. But he remains fast asleep.

Slowly, Chen brings his small fingers to the hem of Chanyeol's shirt and pulls it up to expose the hard muscles beneath. It was a magnificent sight to behold, toned planes dipping in all the right places. Creamy skin dotted with a couple of moles and beauty marks here and there. Absolutely gorgeous.

Chen pushed the hem of Chanyeol shirt up to his chin and carefully moved his fingers along the dog hybrid's torso, ember eyes roving hungrily over the amazing body, relishing in the delightful warmth just below his fingertips. The muscles were firm to the touch. Chen couldn't help but squeeze at some places, a quiet moan escaping his chest when the thought of Chanyeol's muscles flexing below him crosses his mind. 

The thought of Chanyeol fucking him.

Fuck.

It's been years since Chen has done this. 

Actually he shouldn't be doing this. 

Not just because he was taking advantage of an unconscious hybrid, but also because this could prove to be detrimental to his psychosis. 

What if this sends him back? Mentally sends him back to darker times. 

Regardless of the consequences, Chen's body was moving all on it's own, drawn towards what it's been craving for the longest time. The thing he's been too ashamed of telling anyone. 

Not even Junmyeon knows. And he isn't going to know. Not ever.

He likes knots.

Chen leaned down and started lapping at Chanyeol abs, his nostrils taking in nothing but the dog hybrid's scent, it was almost powerful enough to make him go crosseyed.

"Mmm," Chen moaned, licking up and down the muscular torso, the faint salty taste of Chanyeol's sweat only boosted his arousal further. Then he buried his nose right above the waist band of Chanyeol's pajama pants, right where black pubic hair began. Chanyeol's musk was the strongest there. 

At Chen's intimate ministrations, Chanyeol's breath started to hitch, finally lulling him to continuousness.

Chen didn't notice, to distracted by his own lustful desires. He's now sucking and lapping at Chanyeol's abdomen, pleased purrs spilling from his throat. With his eyes closed in bliss, Chen fails to see the dog hybrid waking up.

"Hnfgh?" Chanyeol's eyes start blinking open, ears twitching as he slowly regains his awareness. "Wha?," he mumbles in confusion. 

Chen freezes, lifting his head up to look at the dazed dog hybrid. He could feel his heart beat accelerating as he watched Chanyeol wake up.

What is he gonna do?

Chanyeol's heavy gaze finally falls on him, caramel eyes staring into ember ones. 

"Chen?", he asks, still not fully awake. But that doesn't last long. After a few more blinks, Chanyeol's disorientation subsided and his eyes widen at the view. He looked completely mortified.

Chen's stomach dropped. 

"What are yo-! Mnf!" Chanyeol's exclamation is cut off by Chen raising a hand to muffle him.

"Shh," Chen shushed the dog hybrid and to his surprise, Chanyeol obeys. He brings his hands up to hold Chen's arm but doesn't pull it way. Chen observes the shock and confusion swimming in Chanyeol's eyes. He was relieved the dog hybrid didn't look angry with him, not yet at least. Though, now he had to go through the uncomfortable act of explain himself.

This is going to be extremely awkward. But he has no other choice. 

"Listen closely," Chen says while narrowing his gaze, "My heat device isn't working. For some reason my body wont respond and it's starting to hurt," he licked his lips nervously, "I..I need ...I need your help."

A deep flush crosses Chen's face, dropping his gaze in embarrassment. Just what the hell was he doing? He shouldn't be here. He should be held up in his room, shoving that useless heat device inside him till he eventually reaches a miserable orgasms hours later. 

Maybe he'll brake the device just like last time, chuck it at the wall in frustration. 

After Chen explained his predicament, Chanyeol was quiet. Of course it was because Chen still had his hand over his mouth. But the dog hybrid didn't make any motion to remove it, leaving the both of them in a pregnant silence. 

A few seconds pass and Chen starts to worry that Chanyeol is going to suddenly throw him off, throw him out of his room and berate the cat hybrid for taking advantage of him while he was asleep. 

Deep down, Chen knew it's what he deserved. But the thought still hurt. Especially with his hormones going wild, he just might cry for the rest of the night.

Chanyeol finally moves to pull Chen's hand away and Chen doesn't resist. He squeezes his eyes closed as he waits for the dog hybrid's response. 

"...What do you need me to do?"

Chen snaps his eyes open to look up at Chanyeol, completely dumbfounded by what he just heard. 

The dog hybrid stares back at him with a light blush on his cheeks, eyes filled with nothing but curiosity and concern. He bites his lip as he looks over Chen's naked form, clearly looking interested.

The wave of relief that passes over Chen is indescribable. His heart swelled at the dog hybrids acceptance, tears of joy threatening to fall. But he held himself together. 

"Ok. Here is what I need you to do." Chen leans back on his hands, placing them besides Chanyeol's legs, opening up his body more. He doesn't miss how the blush on Chanyeol's cheeks deepens. Chen chuckled under his breath. "I need you to fuck me."

"O-ok," Chanyeol stutters, he licked his lips and moves his hands to touch Chen.

A deep growl escapes Chen's throat before swatting Chanyeol's hands away, causing the dog hybrid to flinch and look at Chen in confusion. 

"A couple of rules." Chen narrowed his gaze, pupils almost becoming slits again. "First rule: Never touch me."

Chanyeol's ears droop and he looks hurt. "Alright," he whines. Had it been anyone else, they would have caved at the dog hybrid's puppy eyes. That wasn't going to work on Chen, especially not for this rule.

"Next: Don't shove your knot inside." Chen fidgets with the hem of Chanyeol's shirt, pushing it up a little higher and enjoying the shy expression on Chanyeol's face when he nods. Chen knew he was going to take a knot tonight no matter what but Chanyeol didn't know that.

"And finally," Chen runs a finger down Chanyeol's chest, causing him to tremble. "Don't tell Junmyeon." His voice softens at the final rule, a somber smile crossing his face as he traced circles into Chanyeol's skin.

Junmyeon would probably be upset if he knew they were doing this. Not by the fact two hybrids of different species were having sex. But based on what Junmyeon knew of Chen's past, it would clearly worry him to death. Probably convince him that Chen isn't as well adjusted as he thought.

  
  
The body below him shifts and it brings Chen out of his reverie. Chanyeol moves to prop himself up on his arms and gets a little closer to Chen.

"I promise," Chanyeol says softly, caramel eyes filled with kindness and understanding.

The dog hybrid's trusting gaze has Chen's heart unexpectedly soaring. Chanyeol's breath ghost across his face and Chen shivers, feeling slick seep out of him in excitement. He bit his lip and tried not to stare directly into Chanyeol's caramel eyes. He couldn't hold back the blush, hoping it wasn't too visible in the poor lighting.

Before Chen got too shy, he descended upon Chanyeol, coaxing the dog hybrid to lie down once more. Holding himself on his forearms, Chen takes a deep breath, the pleasant scent helps calm his nerves and sets him back into a lusty haze. Chanyeol flinches but doesn't shy away. He outstretched his arms at his sides and gripped the bed sheets tightly, probably to prevent himself from placing his hands on Chen. 

Dog hybrids can get pretty crazy in bed, especially when in a rut. Fortunately for Chen, a dog hybrid's rut can not be triggered by a cat hybrid's heat. 

Though Chen would be lying if the idea of Chanyeol going into rut because of him wasn't exciting.

...This was obviously due to his hormones. 

Chen lapped at Chanyeol's chest, just as he had been doing earlier. However now he got to enjoy the little gasps and moans spilling from Chanyeol's mouth. Feeling bold, Chen sucked gently on Chanyeol's pectorals, purposely lingering around the edges of Chanyeol's nipples. Chen observed how the dog hybrid threw his head back into the pillow and squeezed his eyes shut, fingers white-knuckling the sheets. Smiling to himself, Chen slid a hand down into Chanyeol's pants to grab his cock.

"Hnk!" Chanyeol body keens at the contact, his voice coming out as a whine. 

Chen places a soft kiss at Chanyeol's chest while giving Chanyeol's cock a few strokes. He didn't even need to see it to know that Chanyeol was big, and his knot wasn't even fully formed yet.

"Patience puppy," Chen teases, the nickname just spills out of him. A wave of new found dominance washes over him as he watches the dog hybrid squirm underneath him. Chanyeol seemed very much responsive to the nickname, drooping his ears and looking at Chen with pleading caramel eyes.

This time, Chen cracks at the dog hybrid's gaze. That look fits Chanyeol so well. Maybe he could push Chanyeol even further.

The thrilling thought has Chen yanking down the dog hybrid's pants to expose his large red shaft. The sight of Chanyeol's knot has Chen's entrance fluttering, a pleased purr radiates from his chest.

He needed that inside him now.

Chanyeol makes a cute noise of embarrassment and tries to cover himself up. But Chen swats his hands away with a warning growl, causing Chanyeol to whine in protest. Chen doesn't miss how his show of dominance makes Chanyeol's cock twitch. The dog was getting off on this.

Smirking again, Chen took the throbbing shaft into his hand and positioned himself above it. His gaze was focused on Chanyeol's face, reveling in how fucked out the dog hybrid already looked. He was taking deep breaths as the cat hybrid hovered over him, likely trying with all his might not to thrust up, even when Chen's entrance pushed down on his tip.

Chen admired Chanyeol's restraint, watching the dog hybrid bite his lower lip and knit his eyebrows in concentration. It's cute and very much appreciated. 

Such a good boy.

As Chen lowered himself over Chanyeol's cock, a pleasant tingling started in his guts and slowly radiated to the rest of his body. Heady moans spilled from his lips, getting louder and louder and he descended inch by delicious inch.

When he finally reaches the top of Chanyeol developing knot, Chen felt full. The wonderful sensation of being stretched open makes him feel gitty. It's almost enough to have him laughing hysterically. But he isn't that far gone yet.

Chanyeol's eyes are still squeezed shut and his ears twitch. Chen clamps down and is rewarded with a sharp gasp and strained expression from Chanyeol. 

Chen is in full control.

Wasting no more time, Chen lifts up till only the tip was inside, then harshly slams himself down on Chanyeol. 

Both hybrids cry out at the same time. Chen's a high moan and Chanyeol's a strangled whine. It was a good thing Junmyeon isn't home or else it would be impossible to keep this from him.

"Ah Fuck! Aargh!" Chen's screams grow louder as he fucks himself on Chanyeol's cock, his rim stretching further and further down over the dog hybrid's knot. Soon it will be completely sheathed inside him, stretching him to the limit and providing his body with that much needed relief. 

Chanyeol becomes a mess beneath him, his arms are positioned over his face, cover his eyes. Chen can only see the dog hybrids mouth, plump lips glistened with spit, whines and whimpers threw gritted teeth.

Thrill surging through his veins, Chen increased his speed, clamping down on Chanyeol harder. The dog hybrid begins to wail, projecting noises that Chen has never heard from him before. But he loved it.

Chen brought a hand down to stroke himself while the other was planted firmly on the bed so as to keeping his balance. He pumped his cock short and fast, pushing him closer to the edge. His head is thrown back and his eyes are closed in bliss, ears filled with the sounds of slapping skin and their wanton cries.

"Chen please!"

The exclamation from Chanyeol brings Chen back into headspace for a moment, processing the dog hybrids distress. Reluctantly, Chen slows his pace and stops clamping down on Chanyeol.

His instincts tell him to keep going. To keep taking Chanyeol's cock until he reaches his peak. But the pain in Chanyeol's voice takes him out of it. 

Panic grows in Chen's stomach when he realizes that the dog hybrid is trembling beneath him. As Chen lightened up his ministrations, Chanyeol's cries died down, now replaced with small hiccups and shallow breaths. Chanyeol's arms were still covering his face, but Chen could see faint tear tracks falling down his cheeks.

"Chanyeol?" Chen was about to get up from his position when Chanyeol suddenly moves his arms.

Chanyeol's eyes are glassy with dilated pupils, almost as large as Chen's. His gaze is filled with lust, locking on to Chen like some kind of predator. It sends a shiver down the cat hybrid's spine. Chanyeol almost looked feral, ready to take control and plow into Chen at any second. 

However, Chen knows he isn't in any danger. All this time not once has Chanyeol displayed any desire for dominance. He didn't even buck his hips once since they started. 

Affection swirled in Chen's chest.

"Chen, please," Chanyeol says, voice broken, appearing submissive once again. "Please let me touch you. Please. Oh please!"

The desperaty in Chanyeol's voice and his pleading caramel eyes makes Chen keen in delight, skin tingling in anticipation. He licks his lips, loving the way Chanyeol's glassy gaze is all on him, as if he is the sole object of the dog hybrids desires. Chen fears he might just cum from that alone.

A dark chuckle leaves Chen's lips and his instincts from before sink back in, but this time Chen felt more in control. 

"No puppy," Chen teases before using both of his hands to caresses his body, giving the dog hybrid an erotic little show. "No touching."

Chen closes his eyes as his elegant hands glide over his slim form, touching himself in the most sensual way possible. His body isn't particularly thick or muscular, typical of most cat hybrid species. However, he is aware that his soft body has it's own appeal. Chen has seen enough online forums to know that his figure was enticing to many.

His breath hitches when one of his fingers grazes over a sensitive nipple. A smirk touches his lips when the dog hybrid's cock twitch inside him, he had pulled off of Chanyeol knot early, but he can feel it growing bigger against his rim. Chen takes a look at Chanyeol and sees the dog hybrid watching him through heavy eyelids, taking shallow breaths as he observes Chen's erotic display. His heavy gaze sent arousal straight to Chen's cock.

Pretty soon his hips start back up and heady moans spill out of him once more. Chanyeol moans as well, placing his arms back at his sides and gripping the sheets just as he had been before.

Their pace is slower now, more intimate compared to before. 

"You feel so good. So fucking good." Chen whines, tears prickling his eyelashes as he slowly starts to lose his composure. He stops caressing his body and plants both hands on the bed before shoving himself down on Chanyeol's cock harder and faster. 

The swollen knot slips past Chen's rim and causes him to scream out uncontrollably, taking deep haggard breaths between each cry. He's gripping the sheets for dear life almost as tightly as the dog hybrid. Delightful sensations run up and down his spine and searing pleasure pools in his stomach. 

A broken wail leaves Chanyeol's mouth at Chen's ministrations, throwing his head back into the pillow. Chen feels Chanyeol's cock pulsating inside him.

Tears finally fall from Chen's eyes, his vision now blurred. But he didn't need to see anything. Right now he was only focused on his climax, quickly approaching his limit. 

He's close. So close to finally getting that sweet release. 

Chen feels Chanyeol's knot start to catch at his rim and he tares himself out of his blissed out state of mind. Just long enough to pull the knot out of him.

The devastated wails that Chanyeol produces are so heartbreaking that Chen feels it in his soul. He'd like nothing more that to let the dog hybrid knot him.

But Chen can't have it. 

He grits his teeth and quickly shoots his hand down to squeeze Chanyeol's knot while clamping down on the shaft inside him. Then he leans down to lick at Chanyeol chest in a way to comfort the dog hybrid. 

"Chen! I'm-Argh!" Chanyeol let's out a high pitched whine as he reaches his orgasm. shooting ropes of cum inside the cat hybrid. 

A strangled gasp leaves Chen as the sensation of being filled finally pushes him over the edge. He instinctively clamps down and squirts on Chanyeol's shaft. He spills his cum all over Chanyeol, covering the dog hybrid's tummy in strings of white.

At Chen clamping down on him, Chanyeol cries in protest at the over stimulation. "No don't! Don't do that!" His hands release the bed sheets, but instead of going for Chen, they grip the pillow behind his head.

Chen immediately relaxes the muscles at his rim and collapsed on top of Chanyeol, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Chen repeatedly says against Chanyeol's neck as he listens to Chanyeol's whimpers die down. He runs his fingers along Chanyeol's sides to provide relief. 

Chanyeol finally releases his grip on the pillow and he lets out a tired sigh, his body going lax beneath the cat hybrid's weight. 

There is movement where Chen fears the dog hybrid is about to touch him. However Chanyeol lays his arms down at his sides instead, giving his shoulders a rest. Chen relaxes once again, sighing on Chanyeol's collarbone. 

"Did it work," Chanyeol asks after their breathing returns to normal, a long silence filling the room. The dog hybrids voice is no longer broken but still a bit horse, making him sound funny.

Chen lifts his head up to Chanyeol, a small blush crossing his cheeks when he sees the dog hybrid smiling down at him. Chanyeol looked fucked out, hair a mess, eyes glassy, cheeks flushed red. It was really hot.

So says Chen's hormones. 

"Yeah," Chen replies, "I feel a lot better now. Thank you." He says his thanks shyly, turning his gaze away from Chanyeol and fixing it on the slate colored carpet.

"Uhn..." Chanyeol starts, "I think we should clean up." He fidgets under Chen, now aware of how hot and moist the sheets have become.

"Right," Chen hums in agreement before lifting himself up off of Chanyeol. His muscles felt sore, a testament to how he hasn't done this in a while. Chanyeol looked in way better shape then he did. Chen seriously needed to work on his stamina. 

Getting out of bed, Chen winced at the feeling of fluid seeping out of him and tried to hide his embarrassment, using his usual poker face as a mask. 

"Goodnight," Chen says while turning back to Chanyeol, "See you in the morning."

"Oh...," Chanyeol replied, "Goodnight,"

The dog hybrid had a strange expression on his face when Chen announced his departure, almost as if he were expecting something else. They both had their own personal bathrooms, it made more sense for Chen to use his own bathroom. Right?

Chen headed back to his bedroom, not even caring that the hallway was chilly on his bare skin. He was too focused on the sensation in his stomach, the pleasant feeling of satisfaction. A heat well satiated. Endorphins no longer taking control.

He's gonna sleep well tonight. 

🐱🐶

The next morning is horrifying. 

Chen stares up at the ceiling, eyes wide open in shock.

Did he really just do that?

It's passed ten in the morning, Junmyeon has already left for work by now, leaving Chen alone with Chanyeol like he always does. But as last night's events continue to resurface, Chen dreads leaving his room. He knows he's gonna have to eventually, his stomach demanded sustenance. 

From what his folded ears could pick up, Chen can detect Chanyeol moving around in the kitchen, probably preparing breakfast or brunch. 

Chen wanted to stay in his room all day and just wallow in shame, maybe play with the useless heat device that was still on the floor. 

There is a moment where Chen remembers a previous conversation he had with BamBam. The one where he claimed Chanyeol liked him. Really liked him. As in more than just friends.

Though Chen still has a hard time believing it. Based on last night's events, Chanyeol would have to feel some type of way towards him to do that. Right?

The more Chen thought about it, the shittier he felt about the whole thing. He might be a petty asshole sometimes, but taking advantage of someone's feelings was a scummy thing to do.

Thought, he noticed how his heat didn't feel as powerful as it did yesterday morning. The second day is usually the worst for Chen, finding all sorts of distractions take his mind off his heat.

But today he felt ...satiated. 

Like finishing up a warm meal after starving. Or drinking a cool glass of water on a hot day. Or sitting in a basket of fresh sheets while ignoring Junmyeon's protests.

That kind of satiated.

Chen gets out of bed while stretching his limbs. He splashed some water in his face and grabs an oversized sweater to wear downstairs. With underwear of course. He wasn't a barbarian. 

When he entered the kitchen this time, he's not surprised to see Chanyeol cooking something just like yesterday. However something seemed different about him.

He wore a black tank and checkered pajama pants, his hair messy and ears fluffier than ever. Chen had seen this view many times since Chanyeol's arrival, but something about it now was catching his attention. Chen was finding it extremely difficult to take his eyes off of Chanyeol's well toned arms, flexing as he grabbed ingredients from the cupboards. 

The dog hybrid finally notices Chen's presence and turns to look at him with his caramel gaze. It sends a chill up Chen's spine and he had to turn away, feeling exposed all of a sudden. 

"Ah, good morning!" Chanyeol greeted in his usual chipper tone. "I was just about to go up and check on you." 

Chanyeol's smile is wide and warm, eyes just as welcoming as always. 

It causes Chen to fidget in place, warmth pooling in his cheeks and stomach. It felt like cotton was stuck in his throat. Was this because of his heat?

"I'm making pancakes today," Chanyeol grabs a measuring cup of pancake mix and holds it up for Chen to see. "Want anything in it? You know, blueberries, chocolate chip, or...?"

"Plain is fine," Chen mumbles shyly, just loud enough for the dog hybrid to hear him. 

Chanyeol nods and turns back to the stove, causing Chen to relax a bit more. With Chanyeol's focus no longer on him, the warmth faded from his body, his antsy behavior subsided. 

How peculiar. 

Chen sits at the counter, patiently waiting for breakfast to be ready. He thought Chanyeol would be more talkative about last night, maybe even change his behavior around him. But the dog hybrid looked the same as he always does in the morning. Chen didn't know whether to be panicked or relieved by this development. 

"Uhm...so," Chen beginning, fiddling with his fingers on the stained marble counter, "About last night..."

"Hmm?," Chanyeol regards Chen without taking his eyes off the stove, letting the cat hybrid know he was listening even though he was preoccupied at the moment.

Chen licks his lips, "I didn't...overstep any boundaries did I?" 

The images of Chanyeol last night, eyes glassy while sobbing beneath him, have been replaying in Chen's head. It was hot. Really hot. Possibly the hottest thing he has ever seen in years.

But now that he's back in headspace, without his heat to engulf him in a hormonal high, Chen felt guilty for reducing Chanyeol to that state. His own actions shocked him. Not once did he ever take so much pleasure in taking control like that. In dominating. Even if he was technically "bottoming", it didn't feel like that from their position. 

Chanyeol doesn't say anything for a while as he works, only humming at Chen when he finishes his inquiry. Chen feels the air grow pregnant with tension. He hasn't felt this nervous since the following morning he left Chanyeol alone in the house. 

When Chanyeol turns off the stove and slides the pancakes onto a plate, he finally turns to Chen.

Chanyeol's eyes are sparkling and his smile reassuring, making Chen's heart leap into his throat. 

"Don't worry about it," Chanyeol beams, "I'm just happy I was able to help," 

Chen's eyes widen at the dog hybrid, his heart racing. A pretty blush covers Chanyeol's cheeks, rubbing the back of his head shyly. It makes him look all the more endearing. 

The cat hybrid becomes flushed, trying and failing to hide his smile. He didn't usually find Chanyeol to be a charmer but this morning was different. Maybe it was his fragile state of mind caused by his heat.

It felt good regardless. 

Chanyeol hands a plate of fluffy pancakes to Chen, a big stack of four with strawberry syrup on top. Chen's mouth waters, it would have looked like too much for one little hybrid, but with Chen's heat in full blast, this was perfect. He had a ravenous appetite during the beginning of his heat cycle.

Chen digs into the pancakes, humming in delight at the wonderful flavor and texture. They were probably regular old pancakes but with his hunger they tasted heavenly. 

At the sound of a laugh, Chen noticed Chanyeol watching him with a smirk on his face. He had his own plate of pancakes while leaning up against the opposite counter, the veins in his arms becoming more prominent. 

Chen blushed and swallowed the food in his mouth. 

Where is this shyness coming from?

It's just Chanyeol. 

🐱🐶

After brunch, Chen finds himself watching one of Junmyeon's dramas with Chanyeol. They did this often, cheering whenever Junmyeon showed up on the screen. 

However, Chen was more quiet this time. He was slumped down on the long side of the couch, arms crossed and feet up. Feeling hot and bothered. 

He was having difficulty focusing on the screen. Mostly due to the fact that Chanyeol was sitting on the opposite side of the couch, arms resting on top of it while his body reclined slightly. His abs where very prominent under the tank top, causing Chen to fantasize about lying on top of it. He had to constantly pull his gaze away from Chanyeol every time he reacted to the show. 

After last night, Chen's instincts had done a complete one-eighty from the hostile behavior of yesterday morning. Now he felt cuddly, way more cuddly than how he was with Junmyeon. Cuddly to point of madness.

Chen wanted to rub himself all over Chanyeol, get that delightful scent all over him, just as he had done last night. Taste Chanyeol's smooth skin and squeeze his muscles. 

It was embarrassing

Last night, his heat gave him the confidence to take what he wanted last night, hold Chanyeol down with his dominant aura and make the dog hybrid fall apart. 

A warmth returns to Chen stomach and he feels a moistness in his underwear, causing him to panic. He was grateful that the couch doesn't stain easily. 

"Hey,"

Chen looks over at the dog hybrid to see concerned caramel eyes. He's no longer lounging back on the couch, now hunched over his knees and facing Chen.

"Is everything ok? You seem... troubled," Chanyeol's gaze gives Chen's body a once over before returning to the cat hybrid's face.

Chen's chest grows hot under Chanyeol's stare once more. He should have known the dog hybrid would be receptive to his discomfort, it's a common trait amongst his species, knowing when other people are in distress. Cat hybrids have this ability as well, just not as strong as their dog counterparts.

Chanyeol was having a serious affect on his heat. Even stronger than yesterday. 

"Yeah I'm fine. Just..." Chen trailed of because truthfully, he didn't know how to describe his condition without sounding embarrassing. How do you tell someone, specifically someone you have a complicated relationship as of now, that you want to snuggle with them... and maybe sit on their cock for the rest of the day. God, Chen was turning red just thinking about it.

"Come," Chen says, shyly avoiding Chanyeol's gaze, "Sit over here," he taps the space infront of him on the long side of the couch. 

Chanyeol's ears perk up and he doesn't hesitate to move closer to the cat hybrid. He takes a seat between Chen's outstretched legs. The long side of the couch is just long enough to reach Chanyeol's ankles as he sits in front of the cat hybrid.

A deep rumble comes from Chen's chest right before he surges forward and pulls Chanyeol to lie against him, having the dog hybrid rest his back against his chest. He ignores Chanyeol's sounds of alarm and wraps his arms around his torso. The position is close and intimate, causing Chen's instincts to go haywire in Chanyeol's scent. 

"Mmm," Chen moans, shoving his nose into Chanyeol's silky hair. "This is better."

"Great," Chanyeol laughs and shifts a bit to get more comfortable in Chen's embrace. 

They continue watching the kdrama, or at least Chanyeol continues to. Chen is in his own little world, occasionally shoving his nose into Chanyeol's hair, or allowing his breath to tickle Chanyeol ears just to watch them twitch. He allowed his hands to wonder over Chanyeol's body, sometimes getting the dog hybrid to chuckle or express a playful protest. Chen was in full on cuddle mode, indulging in Chanyeol's firm and warm body.

"Chen," Chanyeol says after the credits begin to role, Chen responds with a hushed "Hmm?" in the back of Chanyeol's head, his eyes closed in his bliss.

"What..uhm..." Chanyeol hesitates and that causes Chen to become more focused.

"What is it?" Chen asks, lessening his grip around Chanyeol. For a moment, he fears the dog hybrid is uncomfortable. Fears that Chanyeol is going to force him to move away. "Do you want to get up now?"

"No. Not at all!," Chanyeol says quickly before licking his lips, a nervous tick among most hybrids. Chen watched Chanyeol patiently, eyeing the pink hue of Chanyeol's lips. They looked very soft this morning.

"I was wondering...what happened to your tail?"

The question catches Chen off guard and he stiffens, arms unconsciously tightening around Chanyeol. 

"Y-you don't have to tell me if you don't want to!" Chanyeol stutters after sensing Chen's alarm. "I'm sorry I asked."

The tenderness in Chanyeol's apology has Chen easing up, his fingers caressing Chanyeol's sides just like last night. He doesn't miss how the dog hybrid shudders under his touch, it makes him crack a smile.

Chen knew he would have to explain his missing tail to Chanyeol eventuality. He hasn't even told the full story to his friends yet, only saying that it was due to an accident and leaving things at that. Online, there are many fans speculating on what happened to his tail. The most common assumption being that he simply didn't have one. There are many cat hybrids who were born without a tail, so why not Chen right?

But Chen had a tail once, long before Junmyeon adopted him.

"A few years ago, before Junmyeon adopted me, I had owners who... didn't much care for my well being, " Chen began, choosing his words carefully. He didn't what to get into detail, mainly because the memories are still painful. "Long story short I had to have it removed or else I would have suffered from infection." 

That's all Chen felt like divulging for now.

There is a low rumble reverberating throughout the room and Chen is shocked to find it coming from Chanyeol. He has never heard the dog hybrid sound this menacing before.

"Your past owners sound like real bastards." The venom in Chanyeol's voice has Chen shaken. And here he thought Chanyeol was a pure puppy.

Then again, Chen remembered what Junmyeon said about Chanyeol's past. Six months abandoned by his owner. Chen couldn't imagine how devastated Chanyeol must have felt.

"It's all behind me now," Chen says, nuzzling his face into the side of Chanyeol's head in an attempt to calm the seething dog hybrid, "Now I have you and Junmyeon."

He doesn't realize what he's said until it's too late, shocked that he included Chanyeol as part of his new life. It's true that Chanyeol is now officially part of the family, no matter how much Chen disliked that fact on occasion. But he had been so conditioned to saying just Junmyeon's name when it came to mentioning his family unit. 

"I'm glad," Chanyeol says, his voice taking on a more playful tone. He turns his head and nuzzles back into Chen, his nose twitching as it takes in the cat hybrid's familiar scent. "You and Junmyeon are probably the best thing to ever happen to me."

Chen feels his heart leap into his throat at Chanyeol's words.

"Yeah well, you're still annoying as hell." Chen says while tugging at Chanyeol's ear, shattering the tender moment.

"Oh come on," Chanyeol laughs, shaking his head to free his ear. "I'm not that bad am I?" He turns to look at Chen, his caramel eyes sparkling.

Chen's breath catches in his throat. The angle has their faces only centimeters apart, forcing Chen to see all of Chanyeol's handsome features up close.

"You're..."

You're gorgeous. 

Chanyeol drops his smile and watches Chen curiously, not appearing to be bothered by their closeness. His irked expression makes him look even cuter.

"You're silly," Chen says, averting his gaze and grabbing the remote to change the channel. Chen feels the dog hybrid laugh in his embrace. He had successfully defused the tension. 

They spend the rest of the day practically glued at the hip. Chen latched onto Chanyeol wherever he goes, rubbing his face into his body and purring. Chanyeol indulges the cat hybrid in heat, allowing him to do as he pleases. Chen keeps his arms firmly around Chanyeol's torso, not allowing the dog hybrid to escape his cuddles. The only time Chen let's go of Chanyeol is when one of them needs to use the bathroom, and even then his instincts put up a small fight, hissing and whining until they are together again.

Many times Chen flinches when he believes the dog hybrid is about to touch him in return. But Chanyeol keeps his hands off, remember his promise from last night. The gesture makes Chen preen even more for the dog hybrid. 

Junmyeon comes home and Chen finally releases his grip on Chanyeol, lunging for his owner's more soothing scent instead. He gives Chen an exasperated smile before patting his head. 

"I hope you've been playing nice with Chanyeol." He says, eyes darting between the hybrids.

"We're cool," Chanyeol says simply with a shrug. Chen just mewls into Junmyeon's chest, allowing his smell to ground him. 

In truth, both Chanyeol and Junmyeon's scents were appealing to Chen. The only difference being, where as Junmyeon's scent brought back his sanity with only a minor urge to cuddle, Chanyeol's scent made Chen horny. There were so many moments where he thought his dominant instincts were going to take over, push Chanyeol down and take what he wants. It was a miracle he didn't start humping Chanyeol during the day, only giving into his cuddly side.

Although, Chanyeol already stated he didn't mind Chen using him for his heats.

And so, this continues for two more days, Chen getting up in the morning, cuddling with Junmyeon a bit before he leaves, then attaching himself to Chanyeol's side for the rest of the day. During the nights, Chen finds his sexual frustration to be mild, never reaching the point of seeking out Chanyeol again. The heat device works for him now, giving him just enough satisfaction to fall asleep peacefully. 

However, the urge to take Chanyeol's knot still sizzles under his skin. 

🐱🐶

"You still won't let me touch you?" Chanyeol asks while turning his head back to look at Chen, a playful hint to his voice.

They where both lying on Chanyeol's bed. Chanyeol on his stomach with a notebook in front of him and Chen placed on top of him. Chanyeol's large frame had no problem supporting the cat hybrid's weight. 

Chen narrowed his ember eyes at the dog hybrid's question, a low rumble of displeasure radiated from his chest, pouring into Chanyeol's back.

"Ok ok," Chanyeol laughs, "forget I asked." He turns back to his notebook.

Chen's growling dies down and he returns to rubbing his face between Chanyeol's shoulder blades. His desire for the dog hybrid's scent has only grown stronger as time goes on.

It's the fourth day of Chen's heat, usually the strongest when alone. But having Chanyeol here has helped alleviate his agitation. Junmyeon is working late again leaving Chen and Chanyeol alone for the night.

"What are you writing?" Chen asks, propping his head over Chanyeol's shoulder so he could see the notebook better.

  
"You remember 'Growl' right?" Chanyeol asks while flipping back and forth through pages of his notebook. There are musical keys and scattered lyrics here and there.

"Yes," Chen replied. It was impossible not to, especially when Chanyeol was playing it on his instruments almost all the time. 

"I'm writing lyrics for it." Chanyeol says in an upbeat tone. He seemed quite confident in his work. 

So Chen decided to take a look. He squinted at one of the lines, trying to make out Chanyeol's hand writing. 

"My sights become dark when you stare at me. The sound of your breathing. You’re the one that makes me crazy"

Chen could feel his heartrate increase as he read the lyrics out loud. Something about them sounded so wild and primal. He had no idea the dog hybrid could come up with something like this.

"A dark shadow has woken up inside of me. Sparks fly in my eyes as I look at-"

"It's a work in progress," Chanyeol interrupted, closing the notebook and giving Chen a shy smile. If Chanyeol had human ears they would likely be red as tomatoes. Instead a deep blush covered the dog hybrids cheeks.

"Wow Channie," Chen takes on a teasing tone, crawling up Chanyeol's back so that he could nuzzle his nose into the fluff just below the malamute ears. "I had no idea your lyricism was that raw."

Chanyeol tried to shy away from Chen's breath, his ears twitching at the sensation. But there was no escape. Not while Chen was lying on top of him comfortably. His struggles only amuse the cat hybrid.

"Did you come up with those lyrics while thinking about someone?" Chen purrs, "Thinking about a pretty dog hybrid?"

Chanyeol laughs and tries to shove Chen off of him, "Not really," he says through stifled giggles. 

Chen refused to be moved, another growl escaping his chest as he clung to Chanyeol's torso. "Yes you were." Chen says, his voice getting deeper. It wasn't intentional, his hormones where getting the best of him once again.

The cat and dog become a tangle of limbs after that. It wasn't much of a wrestling match, not with Chen completely dominating and Chanyeol only half heartedly fighting back.

It ends with Chanyeol on his back, gulping down air after Chen tickled him mercilessly. The cat hybrid straddled Chanyeol's hips, crossing his arms and looking down at the dog hybrid in triumph. 

"No fair," Chanyeol says breathlessly, "You cheated." There is a levity to the dog hybrid's voice that proves he isn't that upset.

"Nuh uh," Chen denies, "You're bigger and stronger than me, meaning I can use anything I can for leverage." 

"If I could touch you properly I would have definitely won."

Chen blinks down at Chanyeol for a moment before coming to the realization that the dog hybrid didn't touch him once during their struggle, not with his hands. 

"Right..." Chen says, tracing shapes into Chanyeol's heaving chest. 

Now that he thought of it, Chanyeol hasn't slipped up once since Chen said no touching. He mostly mean no touching while they where having sex that one time. Since Chanyeol brought it out of the bedroom as well, Chen has somewhat enforced it.

Chen had initially set up the no touching rule primarily as a precaution. Just incase the dog hybrid triggered an ... episode.

But Chanyeol has done nothing but help him feel safe. It was charming.

"Chanyeol... would you like to touch me?" 

The question has Chanyeol tensing up beneath Chen, staring up at the cat hybrid dumbfounded. 

"Are you sure?" Chanyeol asks carefully, his eyes darting between Chen's as if they held the answers. 

"Yes," Chen says and slides down so that his forearms are bracketing Chanyeol's chest. He closes his eyes and waits patiently for the dog hybrid's touch.

Chen has only ever felt Chanyeol's hands a few times. Once when the dog hybrid grabbed his hand on the trip to the hybrid store. The other time when the dog hybrid was clinging on to him in the middle of a panic attack. And another time where Chen promised Chanyeol he'd never leave him alone again. He's sure there were more but they slipped his mind at the moment. 

Chanyeol's hands where large, callused, and filled with warmth. If it wasn't for Chen's emotional baggage, he would be whining and begging for the dog hybrid's touch, especially while he was in heat.

"Anywhere?" Chanyeol asks.

Chen's eyes still closed, he knitted his eyebrows together and directed his face up in the direction of Chanyeol's voice. He hoped the face he was making was enough of a queue to tell the dog hybrid to get on with it before he changed his mind.

He detects movement below him and Chen feels his pulse quicken. He has zero clue where the dog hybrid was going to touch him. It could be anything from an innocent tap of his side, to a sinful grab of his ass. 

As he waited in anticipation, Chen thought Chanyeol was going to pat his shoulder or something. Or maybe he'll back off instead.

Just before Chen is about to open his eyes and question what's taking him so long, a large hand cups his cheek. The contact makes him flinch due to being unexpected, but he doesn't shy away.

The hand is slightly callused, just as Chen remembered it. Warmth radiated from it, passing into Chen's face. When a thumb begins to caress his cheek, Chen leans into the hand, a low purr reverberating against his chest. Then Chanyeol's other hand joins in to cup and caress Chen's other cheek, causing the cat hybrid to purr a little louder.

As a cat hybrid, especially one in heat, he craved physical contact. It was much like how dog hybrids craved petting. Cat hybrid's just aren't as needy as them. Not usually anyways.

The hands slowly travel up and up until the tips of the fingers brush against Chen's folded ears. He takes a sharp breath and stiffens, his spine tingling from the contact. 

At his reaction, the hands pull away, much to Chen's dismay.

"Sorry," Chanyeol says, concern laced in his voice. "Was that too far?"

Chen opens his eyes and sees Chanyeol expression change from mildly concerned to...something else. He watches the dog hybrid's adam's apple bob nervously. 

"More," Chen says, a little surprised by the grit in his tone. He can't take his gaze away from Chanyeol's pretty caramel eyes, mesmerizing him like they always do.

Tentatively, Chanyeol raises his hands once again to Chen's ears. His thumbs caress the sensitive flaps, much like how Junmyeon does with them. However Chanyeol's fingers where bigger and warmer than Junmyeon's. Or was that because Chen was in heat? He didn't now other than it was starting to become more difficult to focus.

"They're so soft," Chanyeol laughs while rubbing the folded ears between his fingers. "I always wondered what they'd feel like."

'You can touch them anytime you want' flashed through Chen's head for a second, making him blush. Chen had touch Chanyeol's ears many times during their 'petting sessions', satisfying Chanyeol's need for attention and satisfying Chen's desire for fluff. He never considered reversing their roles.

Eventually, Chen could no longer support himself on his forearms and slumps down onto Chanyeol's chest. He sighs as the strain in his shoulders disappears. Chen faintly heard Chanyeol talking to him but he couldn't register the words. Even though Chanyeol was no longer touching his ears, Chen still felt the haze of pleasure swirling around his head, content hums spilling out of him.

It isn't until he feels a pressure on his waist that his euphoric state is shattered.

All of a sudden a crippling wave of terror cascades through his body. Chen cries out and tares himself away from the dog hybrid, scooting back to the other side of the bed.

"I- I'm sorry," Chanyeol stutters, sitting up on the bed. "You were unresponsive and..." There is fear and worry in Chanyeol's gaze.

Chen clutches at his sides and takes deep breaths to calm his heart. For the briefest moment, he was taken back to a few years ago. Back to when he didn't have Junmyeon. Back to when he was a naive young hybrid looking to please.

Back to when no one cared about him.

"I'm fine," Chen says, cursing the way his voice sounds so small. He had to get a grip.

When Chanyeol tries to crawl closer, Chen scoots even further away. The look of hurt on Chanyeol's face makes Chen's chest grow tight in regret. He wanted to be close to the dog hybrid, demonstrate that he really was alright. But he couldn't. 

In the end, he was still fucked up.

"Sorry I-," Chen moved of the bed, "I need to go." He turns away and quickly leaves Chanyeol's room, trying to ignore the dog hybrid's whimpers. 

Chen's body was still in panic mode once he reached his room. The anxiety got so bad that it started to make his tummy hurt, a sensation he hadn't felt since Junmyeon adopted him. He peeled of his clothing and took a shower, the cool water calming his nerves. 

Soon enough his panic attack subsides and is replaced with guilt. He felt bad for leaving Chanyeol like that. Maybe later he could explain that what happened wasn't his fault. Well he was the cause of his panic attack, but not the cause of his trauma. 

The image of Chanyeol's devastated expression haunted him.

🐱🐶

"So your heat is finished?"

"Mmhm," Chen nodded while eating another spoon full of cereal. 

"That's good," Junmyeon said with a kind smile. He picked up his mug of coffee and took a few sips. "Ah. You put alot of sugar this time Chanyeol."

"Oh. Sorry about that."

Chen turned his head into the kitchen to see the dog hybrid washing dishes. His back was turned away from them.

"Not that I mind," Junmyeon laughs, "It's just that Chen's going to get on my case about watching my sugar intake you know."

Junmyeon's levity helps sooth some of Chen's nerves, but the tension between him and Chanyeol was powerful. It was a surprise Junmyeon could pick up on it.

"Alright I'm off to work," He pecked Chen between the ears, and walked over to ruffle Chanyeol's hair. The dog hybrid dipped his head down for Junmyeon to reach, never looking away from what he was doing.

"Be good ok? Bye!" Junmyeon hollered before stepping out the front door.

Chen and Chanyeol were alone together once again.

  
🐱🐶

  
Chen likes to think that he's pretty good at deescalating tense situations. From breaking up a heated argument between BamBam and Taemin to preventing a vicious fight between V and Jungkook. 

His situation with Chanyeol was completely beyond him.

They weren't exactly fighting, they were more awkward than anything else. Chen walked into the kitchen and was greeted by Junmyeon as usual. But Chanyeol said a quiet "morning" as he ate his cereal. When Chen had prepared his own bowl of cereal and moved to sit at the table, Chanyeol abruptly got up and went to wash the dishes.

Chanyeol did look finished with his breakfast, so it wasn't like the dog hybrid was trying to avoid him or anything. 

However Chen tended to over think things when he is under stress.

Although Chen couldn't think of a reason the dog hybrid would be avoiding him. Chen was the one that should be technically be avoiding the dog hybrid right? He was the scared one after all-

The clutter of silverware in the sink causes Chen to jump.

"Sorry," Chanyeol says, his voice sounding distant. He still had his back turned to Chen. 

The tension in the air is so thick you could probably cut it with a knife.

Biting his lip, Chen stared down at his empty bowl of cereal. He eventually built up enough courage to enter the kitchen and hand Chanyeol his bowl, his heart races when he reaches the dog hybrid's side. 

Chanyeol turns to Chen, a soft smile on his face as he takes his bowl away. However his eyes were dull, no longer sparking as they did whenever they landed on Chen. Seconds later Chanyeol returns his gaze to the dishes, not lingering on the car hybrid as they usually did.

Shit.

The next moment Chen is shoving his forehead into Chanyeol back and wrapped his arms around his torso. The action causes Chanyeol to flinch but thankfully not pull away. From this position, Chen could feel the dog hybrid's heart increase, racing much like his own.

After breathing in Chanyeol's soothing scent Chen begins.

"I'm sorry about last night. I'm," fucked up beyond belief, is what Chen wanted to say, "skittish about people touching me in certain places. It was the same with Junmyeon the first few months after he adopted me." He says, "I promise you didn't hurt me. I should have warned you this would happen."

When Chanyeol relaxes in his arms, Chen continues, "It's weird isn't it," Chen laughs, but there is a bitterness to it that he didn't bother to mask. "I crave physical contact but can't handle anyone touching me without flipping the fuck out. Unless it's Junmyeon." As he vents, Chen rubs his cheek into Chanyeol's back. "You helped me on my first night, provided me with relief I hadn't felt in years. And yet when I think everything is fine, when I actually allow you to touch me I...What kind of cat hybrid am I?" Chen can't stop himself from venting, his chest growing uncontrollably tight, "A pathetic one..."

"That's not true."

Chen blinks back tears, only now realizing he was crying. That only piled on to his frustration. He hated crying, who doesn't? But he hated it in particular because it always lead to a migraine later.

Chanyeol turns around in Chen's hold, leaning against the counter and looking down at the cat hybrid. There is a fondness in Chanyeol's caramel eyes that is comforting to Chen. A warm smile crosses Chanyeol's face and he raises his hand to hover beside Chen's face.

After realizing what Chanyeol wanted, Chen leaned into the hand, allowing the warm palm to cup his cheek. It felt just as good as when Chen was in heat. 

"You're a wonderful cat hybrid," Chanyeol says softly. The pad of his thumb gently rubbed against Chen's tear stained cheek. "You don't need to explain anything to me if you aren't ready. Heck, you don't owe me an explanation at all. I'll just continue to respect your boundaries."

The tears stop falling for now, leaving Chen's eyes puffy and red. They were going to feel sore later, he could tell. The thumb rubbing against his cheek and Chanyeol's kind words had Chen's heart melting.

Chanyeol is such a good person. 

"I'm just relieved I didn't seriously hurt you. Last night scared the shit out of me." The dog hybrid chuckles.

The crude statement causes Chen to laugh but it comes out more like a sob with his runny nose and congested throat. He knows he must look awful but for some reason he didn't feel embarrassed. 

"So," Chanyeol says, his tone becoming more serious, "where exactly am I aloud to touch you. I want to know where to be careful."

Chen stiffens at the question, not really sure what to say. Even he didn't know where his boundaries lie. Aside from his waist, everything else seemed fine. But then again, this was Chanyeol. 

Junmyeon had full access to any part of his body after building up trust for the past few years. His master's hands were like a warm blanket of comfort, making him feel safe and calm any time they pet or caressed his body. An owners touch is generally like a safe haven to all hybrids regardless of species. They are conditioned to seek it out and establish a bond with their owners.

However, for Chen specifically, it ran even deeper. He had been messed up for a long time, never knowing what proper intimacy between maste- owner and hybrid was really like. How an owner and a hybrid should be expressing affection towards eachother.

Junmyeon helped Chen remember that physical contact isn't always lustful. 

That physical contact doesn't always lead to pain.

"Chen?"

Chanyeol voice brings Chen out of his thoughts and he refocuses. 

"You don't have to." Chanyeol says with apologetic eyes and a lopsided smile. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine." Chen quickly says, "I'm not entirely sure myself."

After Chanyeol surveys Chen's expression, his hand that rested on the countertop was placed on the cat hybrid's shoulder. Chen flinched but relaxed, pushing most of his focus into the hand caressing his cheek. Chanyeol continues to watch him closely, making sure his actions didn't spook Chen.

He was nervous for sure, but Chen tried his best to stay calm. He wanted this. He was okay with this. He had nothing to fear.

Then the hand slowly moves from his shoulder down to his upper arm, causing Chen to shudder. His eyes flutter shut and his stomach twists in uncertainty. 

"You alright?" He hears Chanyeol ask once the hand stops at his elbow. Chen gives a little nod, a little fang visible as he bit his lower lip. The sense of unease grew, not to the point of complete discomfort. It was more so he didn't want to run away from Chanyeol again.

Chanyeol's callussed fingers gently glide down Chen's forearm, leaving behind goosebumps in their wake. His touch was so light, so careful to the point of barely making contact. Chen could sense Chanyeol's apprehension and found it much appreciated. 

Then, Chanyeol grabs Chen's hand and raised it up to lace their fingers together. The action has Chen quirking an eyebrow. Growing curious, he opens his eyes and sees Chanyeol gazing down at their interlaced fingers, caramel eyes filled with warm emotion. It had Chen's heart fluttering. 

"My... hands are okay," he says, voice coming out smaller than he intended. Their closeness went from tense to intimate in a matter of minutes. And Chen didn't even know how to feel right now. Chanyeol looks up and makes eye contact, further filling Chen with a mess of emotions once those warm eyes are focused on him.

"I know," Chanyeol says with a fond smile creeping up his face. The tone of his voice is playful, dismantling more of the tension from before. "Your head, shoulders, and arms are all green. But everything below that is red right?"

Chen swallowed and gives a small nod. There were probably other places that were fine but he really didn't want to go any further than this. He didn't want to keep going and risk loosing this comfortable closeness with Chanyeol. And so, Chen mentality marked down his designated green and red zones.

"Okay, now get off me. You look like a mess," Chanyeol says, "You're dirtying my shirt with snot," his tone is teasing, removing his hands from Chen and prompting the cat hybrid to move.

Chen flashes a disgruntled pout before wrapping his arms around Chanyeol's waist and purposely rubbing his face into Chanyeol's shirt. The dog hybrid protests but the laughter in his voice shows that he wasn't that upset.

"Come on," Chanyeol says after he finally gets Chen to pull away. "Go clean yourself up so we can binge some CSI."

Chen beams his kitten curled smile at Chanyeol before going up to his bathroom to wash off. Actually, his smile remained even when he was taking a shower. 

A full smile is a rare occurrence on Chen's face. He usually sticks to smirks and scowls, or a poker face. Chen only recently started smiling more around Junmyeon, creating what his owner called "the legendary kitten curl". 

In public, the paparazzi have never caught Chen's kitten curl. The only thing close was when him and Junmyeon where featured in a popular hybrid magazine. In it, there were many photos of Chen smiling at Junmyeon fondly. But none of them could compare to his kitten curl.

Junmyeon found it adorable and wished Chen would do it more. And Chen would love to indulge him. However, it wasn't something that can be done on queue or forced. Something had to genuinely amuse or bring him joy in order for it to appear. 

That day, as Chen spent time with Chanyeol. As they watched CSI:Seoul together and were constantly eluded by the cases. As Chanyeol's confidence remained determined even after getting the answer wrong for the past ten episodes. As Chen cuddled into Chanyeol's side and smelled his comforting scent. 

Chen's kitten curl appeared more than it ever has in his entire life.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so the reason this took so long to come out is because of the craziness going on in my country.
> 
> I'm a young black man in college and as you can imagine, the events going on are very relevant to me. I have had family members affected by these injustices caused by forces claiming to protect us. None of them have been hurt but it's still dehumanizing, especially since most of my family is associated with the medical field, we couldn't hurt a fly. And yet, the police always treat us as hostile.
> 
> I don't go out much so I'm less likely to be stopped by the police. However, I've had 'the talk' with my father on what to do and how to behave should I ever be stopped by the police. Given my jumpy and skittish nature, I know I'd probably get on the cop's bad side somehow.
> 
> We have already witnessed so many unarmed black men being killed by the police that I'm terrified of being the next one. I don't know...
> 
> On a lighter note, I'm happy that so many people enjoyed the first chapter. The notes were very heartwarming and I'm more motivated than ever to continue. Thank you so much.
> 
> Stay safe out there.
> 
> ~Renard


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple of updates.
> 
> I've decided to stop watching the news and going on social media. Its all so distressing. 
> 
> I'm just watching funny videos, drawing, and play games online with my friends. Also, my mom and just finished watching this kdrama called Crash Land On You. It was my first kdrama and I was shocked my how good it was. I now understand the hype lol.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> ~Renard

It's Wednesday and it's 'raining cats and dogs' as the humans like to say.

Heavy sheets of rain come pouring from above, turning the morning sky a dark blue. Visibility was little to nonexistent with the wind and water pounding against the sliding door.

And then there was the occasional flash of lightning accompanied by the crack of thunder seconds later.

Earlier, Junmyeon cursed having to drive in this kind of weather, praying he made it to the set in one piece. Chen and Chanyeol wished him luck on his journey. Luckily Junmyeon left right before the rain grew even stronger. The hybrids could only hope their precious owner was adept enough at driving to get through this terrible weather. 

Now, Chen is sitting on the couch with a good book in his hand, the one about the prince trying to make it back home to his kingdom. For the longest time, Chen had been faltering on his reading sessions, choosing to binge watch TV with Chanyeol instead. 

Since the satellite network was down during thunderstorms, this meant he has more time to catch up on his reading. 

Chanyeol was looking out the sliding door, observing the rain cascade in their backyard. He appeared to be hyper focused, his ears trained on the sound of water droplets hitting the roof and patio. Every once and a while he would flinch when the crack of thunder would sound of in the distance.

It was interesting seeing Chanyeol's reaction to bad weather. Most dog hybrids would hide in a corner, away from the windows and cower in fear of the thunder. But Chanyeol seemed completely enthralled by the natural phenomenon.

"Is it really that interesting," Chen asks from the couch, his curiously in the dog hybrid's behavior peaking.

"Not really," Chanyeol says coolly, "I'm trying not to flinch when the thunder hits."

There is a flash of light and Chen sees the dog hybrid tense up, preparing to hold still. However once the thunder cracks he shivers ever so slightly, failing in his goal once again. Chen laughs when he hears Chanyeol cuss under his breath.

Chen then had an idea.

"You know, lighting can pass through windows." He says, a cheshire smile crossing his face.

"What?" Chanyeol turns to him, caramel eyes wide in disbelief. "No way." 

He turns his attention back to the window for a few seconds before following up with, "Really?"

"Yup," Chen says, "Light passes through windows, so of course lightning can as well."

The look of skepticism in Chanyeol's expression prompted Chen to sigh in feigned exasperation. He closed his book and walked over to the dog hybrid so that he too was in front of the glass door.

"My friend once had this pet gecko that got loose around the house during a thunder storm," Chen said, "When it ran by the sliding door, a huge thunder bolt passed through the glass and hit it directly. It turned onto ash instantly."

As Chen spoke he pointed right by Chanyeol's feet, emphasizing just how close the gecko was to the window to reach its electrifying end. He saw Chanyeol gulp, indicating that he had the dog hybrid wrapped around his finger.

"Is that so," Chanyeol said, his voice shaking from unease. 

Chen had no clue if any of this was true.

He was merely reciting a story BamBam had told him a while back about how he lost his pet gecko to mother nature. Chen thought his friend was full of it. The gecko probably just ran away due to BamBam being a shitty caretaker. As a matter of fact, Chen could have sworn he had seen the gecko scurrying around his own backyard once or twice.

However, the story regardless of it being true or not seemed to be convincing enough for Chanyeol to by into it. The dog hybrid looked shaken. 

When Chen had his fill of spooking Chanyeol, he was about to laugh and reassure him that the story was bogus. 

That is until a massive flash of light lit up their backyard and the living room. Both hybrids barely had time to react before an explosive boom split the air. It was powerful enough to shake the house. The hybrids both yelped, jumping back from the window.

Chen's heart pounded against his chest, his sensitive ears ringing. He isn't one to be easily frightened, but the suddenness of the thunder had the hair at the back of his neck standing up. If he still had his tail it would be positioned straight up in alarm.

As he slowly came down from his shock, Chen realized that their were arms wrapped around his shoulders. In fact, he was clutching on to someone as well. 

He looks up and sees that Chanyeol is staring at the window with wide caramel eyes. His ears are straight up in alert. One hand was placed behind Chen's head while the other was on his upper back, pulling the cat hybrid into his chest.

Chanyeol's embrace is warm and protective around Chen, causing the cat hybrid to blush. With Chanyeol's arms around his upper body, he didn't feel that sense of unease like he feared the other day. 

Could his "green zones" have expanded?

Chen clears his throat, catching the dog hybrid's attention. Chanyeol looks down and only takes a few second to notice what he was doing. A cute blush crosses his face before he pulls away, stuttering an apology. 

Once Chanyeol's warmth leaves, Chen doesn't miss how his own hands linger on the dog hybrid, wanting to keep Chanyeol close. It has his stomach twisting in knots.

He mutters a small 'it's fine' before returning to the couch. Chanyeol laughs awkwardly before leaving to his music room.

For a while now, this type of thing has been happening. Where Chen finds himself craving Chanyeol's touch even though he isn't in heat. From leaning against the dig hybrid while they watch CSI:Seoul, to resting his head on Chanyeol's shoulder while he writes his music. There are a bunch of examples, all small, easy to miss. 

It's the same progression he had with Junmyeon. 

It's been a few weeks since Chanyeol and him established 'green zones' and 'red zones'. Green zones meaning it was ok to touch him, red zones meaning it wasn't. Neither of them had told Junmyeon for fear of concerning their owner. He already had enough stress at work, they didn't want to add on.

As Chen continued to monitor his body around Chanyeol, he started to feel more and more comfortable around the dog hybrid. Especially when Chanyeol was clearly being mindful of Chen's boundaries, never overstepping once. It was just like when Chen was in heat.

Just like back then, he couldn't help but find Chanyeol's actions endearing. 

And that terrified Chen.

🐱🐶

  
It's the peak of Summer. 

Junmyeon had a few weeks off from work, meaning the two hybrids had him all to themselves.

One day, Junmyeon comes home with a trunk full of camping supplies, beaming a smile at his hybrids.

Chanyeol was ultra excited, digging through the equipment with curiosity. Chen on the other hand was peeved, especially since he didn't particularly like the outdoors that much. What could have possibly convinced Junmyeon this was a good idea?

"Don't worry Chennie," Junmyeon says while rubbing behind Chen's ear. "We aren't going to the middle of nowhere. Since this is our first time, we'll stay in our backyard."

The plan was reasonable. Just beyond their backyard was a small patch of forested area that divided their property from the neighbor's. It was just out of the way to simulate the woods with enough imagination. And if anything happened they could always back out and go home.

Reluctantly, Chen agreed.

Because how could he say no to Junmyeon's pleading smile and, much to Chen's surprise, Chanyeol's puppy eyes. 

It was a deadly combination. 

So the next day, they start their mini camping trip. Junmyeon brought a manual with him of course. Apparently, a coworker of his touted camping with hybrids to be the coolest thing ever. That nothing could top the experience of venturing out into the great outdoors, getting a taste of beautiful mother nature while bonding with your hybrid companions.

Chen had a bone to pick with Junmyeon's coworker.

They head out in the afternoon, Junmyeon taking point while Chanyeol followed behind, a dopey smile across his face. Chen followed a distance behind, moping after them.

They all carried equipment, with Chanyeol carrying the most due to his strength and Chen carrying the least due to being the most frail, a development that had him feeling a little upset. But what was he going to do about it? Carry more weight and collapse embarrassingly in front of Junmyeon and Chanyeol?

The humid air was already starting to affect the cat hybrid, moisture building up under his folded ears. He was definitely going to be gross by the next day. And oh man was Chanyeol going to be even worse.

Eventually, Junmyeon pics a spot and they set up a campsite. To their surprise there was a pond located in the wooded area, providing them with fresh water. They brought a couple of water bottles and food, which Junmyeon had to constantly remind Chanyeol and Chen not to snack on unless they were hungry. 

Junmyeon could always use his owner speak to order the hybrids to stop, but then he'd feel guilty about it later. He doesn't like using that kind of power over them.

Owner speak is an ability owners have to control their hybrids for a brief moment. Their orders are absolute and hybrids have no choice but to follow them, unless they want a brain splitting headache. 

It's uncommon for hybrid owners to use this ability often, finding the promise of rewards to be far more effective. Hybrids are a lot more understanding and can be reasoned with. Owner speak is mostly used when a hybrid is deep in their instincts, like when they are in rut or heat. It could be used to prevent a hybrid from humping the owner or another hybrid for example.

Of all his time living with Junmyeon, Chen only experienced Junmyeon's owner speak once and it was for a good reason. 

Before Junmyeon adopted him, back when he was with his previous owners...

Owner speak was a constant occurrence.

By the time they finished setting up camp, when Junmyeon and Chen finish arguing about where to place the tents, it was night time. Chen was grumbling and groaning over the fact he had to share a tent with Chanyeol. Because of the hybrid owner's higher authority, he had a tent of his own. 

Junmyeon said he would have loved for them all to share a tent, but because of Chanyeol's size it would be nearly impossible. Chen was almost going to suggest him and Junmyeon share a tent until he remembered Chanyeol's phobia to being alone. His chest grew tight thinking about the dog hybrid panicking again. And so, he accepted the sleeping arrangements. 

When Junmyeon finally started the fire, he handed Chanyeol and Chen marshmallows on sticks. They brought gram crackers and chocolate bars to make s’mores, probably the only thing Chen is going to actually enjoy out of this trip.

"Now then," Junmyeon says, "time for some scary stories."

Chanyeol vocalized his excitement while Chen stayed quiet. The dog hybrid clearly wasn't aware of what he was in for.

Junmyeon's jokes might be stale, but his scary stories were very well done, getting Chen to fear the most ridiculous things. From the concepts of houses swallowing you up, to spooky entities attaching to you.

Once, Chen was told a story so unsettling that he couldn't sleep for a few days. Junmyeon has those kinds of stories that don't really frighten you at the moment until you're trying to sleep, when your brain isn't thinking clearly and anything seems possible. 

Chen gulped and nodded his head at the hybrid owner, confirming he was ready for a frightening tale.

After getting Chen's approval, Junmyeon expression turned dark, going into spooky story mode. Oh man, what was it going to be this time?

"I'm going to tell a story that actually happened," Junmyeon begins, his voice sounding dead serious. Chanyeol's attention was all on Junmyeon, ears perked up as he hugged his legs. Chen sat next to him, trying to appear disinterested, but the mention of this being a true story only put him further on edge.

"A couple of weeks ago, in a rural part of South Korea, an old man with his two hybrids were attacked by wolf hybrids." The light from the fire made Junmyeon's face look more menacing. "Being so far away from town, they couldn't call for help. And even if they did, help would never make it in time."

Chen sees Chanyeol fidgeting, clearly unsettled by the story already. Chen didn't feel any better.

Wolf hybrids are an unknown anomaly to hybrid kind. No one can either confirm nor deny their existence due to the origins of hybrids being considered highly top secret. No one has ever documented or caught one, but there have been reported sightings. There is evidence of their whereabouts.

However most people claim it to be a group of dog hybrids causing trouble instead. And in most cases, that was what was going on upon further investigation. But there are still cases that go unexplained.

There is enough evidence to suggest that _something_ out there in the woods is terrorizing rural towns.

"Wolf hybrids," Junmyeon continues, "plundered the old man's home and attacked him and his hybrids. He received the blunt of their attack while his hybrids..."

Junmyeon stops for a second so he can prepare his s’mores, nearly burning the marshmallow. Chen was relieved for the moment of respite.

"What type of hybrids did he own?" Chanyeol asks, his voice wavering. 

"He had two dog hybrids. Their breed wasn't mentioned." Junmyeon's response has Chanyeol shuddering. "Anyways, the worst was done to his hybrids. They fought the wolves off to protect their owner. Even though chances of their own survival was close to zero."

That sent Chanyeol into high alert, crowding closer to Chen and whimpering in fear. Chen was spooked as well but not as much since there weren't any cat hybrids involved. But still spooked none the less. 

"The poor man lost both of his hybrids in one night, barely escaping in his car," Junmyeon says, "by the time the authorities arrived, the house was empty with no sign of wolf hybrids around. His hybrids were nowhere to be found."

"W-wait," Chanyeol stuttered, "What happened to the dog hybrids?"

"No one knows. They were never seen again," when Junmyeon finishes his story, the small patch of forest appeared more frightening. Even though their house was close by, Junmyeon's story made the woods feel vast and remote, like they truly were in the middle of nowhere. It also didn't help that the silence between them was filled by the ominous sounds of the night, fueling the hybrids' imaginations. 

Chanyeol is trembling, ears twitching at every sudden noise. His legs are flush with Chen's thigh, trying to seek comfort in the cat hybrid's presence. Chen would have laughed at the dog hybrid if he himself wasn't so shaken. 

Wolf hybrids had an unbridled hatred towards pet hybrids. Or so they say. Chen was under the impression that wolf hybrids aren't real. Whatever is out their must be feral dog hybrids or something. 

Regardless of how Chen tried to stay rational, the thought of wolf hybrids chasing him through the forest was frightening. If he were a dog hybrid like Chanyeol, he might stand a chance, try and use his strength to fight. But Chen was a small, frail cat hybrid, who could barely carry his own weight much less fight a someone off. He would never stand a chance.

After another minute of silence, Junmyeon busts into laughter.

"Just kidding," he snorts, "That story isn't true. I got it from a fictional book."

Chen and Chanyeol relax a bit. Of course Junmyeon got it out of a book. If it were true then wolf hybrids would have been proven real by now. Right?

"Time for bed," Junmyeon says, getting up and heading towards his tent.

"You expect us to sleep after that!?," Chanyeol wails at his owner. 

"Goodnight guys," Junmyeon flashes a sunny smile before closing his tent. He might be pure most of the time, but Junmyeon could be a devil when he wanted to be.

"Come on," Chen sighs, getting up and coaxing the dog hybrid to follow suit. Only now did he notice his exhaustion from today's antics, Junmyeon's little story emotionally exhausting him as well.

Whimpering, Chanyeol got up and followed Chen inside their tent. 

As they suspected, there was just enough room for Chen and Chanyeol to sleep decently. The tent cushioning was hard and little stones pushed up through the material, poking them in the back.

Chen instinctively curled up on his side, facing away from Chanyeol, who was lying on his back, taking up as much space as he can. The dog hybrid is lucky Chen was tired, or else he would have thrown a hissy fit. The spooky story still had him on edge, but thankfully Chanyeol's familiar scent helped calm him.

Unfortunately, Chanyeol was a fidgeting mess, small whimpers disturbing Chen's attempt to sleep.

"Quit it Chanyeol," he hisses, "It was just a story."

"Yeah but like...what if there was some truth to it." Chanyeol mutters, "Hybrids disappearing in the woods... what if that's more common than we think? They are out in the middle of nowhere. What if wolf hybrids take them while their owners aren't home...when hybrids are alone..."

Chen hears the panic escalate in Chanyeol's voice. He was clearly letting fear get the best of him. 

And so, Chen shifted a little closer, allowing his back to touch Chanyeol's side. 

"You don't need to worry," Chen says softly, "They can't hurt us here. Not while we are all together."

His words of comfort seem to work. Chanyeol's whimpers die down, replaced with steady breathing. The corners of Chen's mouth quirk up into a little smile as the dog hybrids breathing is enough to comfort his own nerves. 

Just when Chen is about to fall asleep, Chanyeol begins talking again.

"You know. If that were us, I'd fight them all," he says, panic no longer present in his tone. "I won't let any of them touch you."

The conviction in Chanyeol's voice makes Chen shudder. He's never heard the dog hybrid sound so serious, aside from when he explained what happened to his tail. He sounded so... possessive.

After a couple of minutes, Chen heard quiet snores behind him, indicating that the dog hybrid finally fell asleep. 

Oddly, Chanyeol's promise of protection helps Chen sleep as well.

That night Chen had a nightmare.

He had one every time Junmyeon told one of these stories. They weren't that bad, often waking from them in terror only to laugh at them later on with Junmyeon. 

But this one was particularly awful.

_Chen was running through a forest, clothing in tatters, feet bruised and blistered. His breath quick and erratic as his heart fought to keep his blood pumping. His body was screaming at him to stop._

_He needed to keep running._

_Cause if he stopped, they would get him._

_The sounds of howls and laughter filled the forest, chasing after Chen. Getting closer and closer. It only served to fuel his terror._

_When he felt large hands grazing his back, that's when Chen really lost it._

_He started wailing, crying out for help at the top of his lungs. His voice echoed through the vast woods, drowning out the sound of his pursuers._

_His broken tail throbbed, the pain nothing compared to what would happen if he's caught._

_No amount of pleading and apologizing is going to spare him from the punishment._

_He'll probably never see the light of day again._

_Chen's foot makes contact with a tree root and he comes down hard on the forest soil. The bruises on his body all hurt at once, especially the ones on his hips. Chen screams in agony, trying to pull himself back up only to be met by resistance from his own body._

_He's surrounded._

_He's caught._

_He's dead._

_"Please! Don't tell master! Please don't tell master!" He cried, curling into a fetal position and protecting his soft spots._

_They were going to take him back. Beat him bad and take him back._

_The laughing and howling continues, circling Chen as he mentally breaks down, closing in on him like bloodthirsty predators._

_This is the fate of disobedient little hybrids._

_Just before Chen thought he was done for, a deep growl appeared over his head, accompanied by a warm embrace. Chen stays perfectly still, understanding the growl to be aimed at his pursuers._

_Eventually the howling and laughter dissipate, signalling that the threat was gone. The growling above Chen's head quiets down, silence taking its place._

_Though it was quiet, the warmth around Chen never leaves, providing him with unfathomable comfort. He felt safe and secure, like nothing could hurt him ever again. It felt so good he could cry._

_And he does._

_Relief overwhelms him and he cries uncontrollably._

The sound of soft chuckling stirs Chen from his sleep. His eyelids flutter as he becomes more aware of his surrounding. 

Chen felt groggy, like he took a ride in a washing machine. And no, Chen had no idea what it was like inside a washing machine, but after observing how it violently tumbled their clothing, Chen knew that was exactly how he felt this second.

"Get a little spooked last night?" Chanyeol asks, the teasing in his voice agitated Chen. 

He's often cranky after a terrible night of sleep and Junmyeon new better that to get on his bad side. Maybe after a few swats, Chanyeol will get the idea as well.

After rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Chen realizes that there is a warmth pushed up against his body. A large warmth actually.

Then, Chen's awareness returns all at once, sending him into shock.

He's practically hugging Chanyeol's torso, his head resting right on the dog hybrids shoulder. He had a leg hooked around one of Chanyeol's, making their position more intimate. 

Said dog hybrid, is gazing down at him with mischievous eyes. Chanyeol seemed to be taking pleasure in the fact Chen was clinging on to him. An obvious indication that Chen was in fact spooked enough to seek out Chanyeol for comfort.

"Morning honey," Chanyeol playfully cooed before leaning down and licking Chen's forehead. 

"Ew!" Chen yells, pulling away and rubbing his forehead, trying to wipe away the slobbery dog kiss.

Chanyeol laughs heartily at Chen's reaction, eyes squeezing shut and wide grin on his face. Chen wanted to stay angry, but he couldn't help the corners of his mouth curling up into a smile, giggles threatening to erupt from his chest. Chanyeol's laughter was too infectious. 

Or maybe he was feeling particularly soft this morning. Who knows.

"You guys up?," Junmyeon's voice calls from outside, "I'm making breakfast."

"Coming," Chen responds before crawling all over Chanyeol to get outside, snickering at the dog hybrid's grunts and protests. Chanyeol easily yielded to him, whining at the cat hybrid for lacking proper manners. Though Chen could tell by the giggle in his voice that Chanyeol wasn't that upset.

They exit the tent to see Junmyeon sitting by the campsite, boiling something in a pot. Their owner looked exhausted, bags under his eyes and hair all messy. 

"Here have some soup," He chimes, clearly forcing himself to look chipper in front of the hybrids. He wasn't hiding anything though. The hybrid owner looked, sounded, and even smelled tired if that were even possible.

"You didn't sleep?" Chanyeol asks after taking his bowl of soup. 

Chen takes a bowl and begins his inspection, squinting at it and pushing the contents around with his spoon. There is corn, celery, and carrot chunks in it. No meat in sight, to Chen's disappointment. 

"Not really," Junmyeon laughs after a yawn. "The ground was too hard. I think a peddle wrecked my back." He rubs at his lower back, wincing when his fingers pass over the sore spot. Junmyeon is definitely not a camper.

"How about you two," He asks while sipping his soup, "Get any sleep after my little story."

"Nope," Chanyeol admits, "I woke up like five times. I vaguely recall a nightmare where a group of gangster wolf hybrids had me tied to a tree while they ate pizza in front of me." Chanyeol started gesturing with his hands for emphasis, "Then they started dancing this weird choreography. There were stage lights and dubstep playing in the background. One of them even looked like me! It was awful!"

Chen nearly choked on his soup, Chanyeol's supposed nightmare making him crack up. His coughing fit was laced with laughter. Thankfully his owner saved him by thumping a hand on his back.

Junmyeon laughs as well, "That does sound pretty bad. How about you Chen?"

Collecting himself, Chen rubs his mouth and tries to focus.

He knew he had a nightmare, probably one of the worst he's had in a long time. But the antics from this morning made him forget most of it. All he could recall was being terrified one minute, then relieved the next. It was hard to explain. 

"Well whatever it was had you clinging to me for dear life," Chanyeol snickered. 

"You were scared too dummy," Chen whines while swatting at Chanyeol. 

Chanyeol repeatedly tells Chen to be cool, trying his best not to drop his bowl of soup. Chen couldn't care less about Chanyeol's breakfast, pink dusting his cheeks as he assaulted the dog hybrid's arm.

After they finish eating, they all decide to pack up and head back home. That one night was enough to prove to Junmyeon that camping was not the magical experience he had thought it would be. 

Again, Chen would like to have a little chat with that coworker. 

Once they make it back, Junmyeon drinks a glass of water before collapsing on the couch. Chen saw it coming from a mile away, already grabbing a blanket off the shelf and placing it over his snoozing owner. Just because he was in a good mood, Chen leaned over and planted a kiss on Junmyeon's cheek, affection swelling in his chest as the hybrid owner's face seems to relax even further. 

Chen then looks up and sees Chanyeol eyeing him with an odd expression. 

Narrowing his gaze, he asks ,"What?" Feeling a little subconscious in front of the dog hybrid all of a sudden.

"Nothing," Chanyeol replies with a soft smile "I think it's sweet."

Chen turns away, hiding the obvious heat rising to his cheeks. 

  
🐱🐶

  
"You smell different."

Chen's ears twitched at the sound of his friend's voice. He looked up from his phone to see Jimin giving him a funny look.

"Really? How so?" He asks in a playful tone. "I smell bad?"

"No no." Jimin shakes his head, "Just...different." Chen's friend hums in thought before clarifying. 

"Kind of like how BamBam smell." He says, "but not as strong."

BamBam, sitting on the other side of Jimin, snaps his head up from his phone and sputters, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jimin merely shrugs, a knowing smile across his face as he darts his eyes between his friends. While BamBam is huffy, Chen blushes, knowing exactly what Jimin means.

They smelled like dogs.

"What are you doing?" Jimin asks, peering over BamBam's shoulder to see his phone screen.

"I'm live streaming on Instagram," BamBam replies while tilting the phone to get better lighting.

The three cat hybrids were sitting at the picnic table, their usual spot at the community park. Unfortunately, Taemin and Key couldn't make it, busy with other affairs. 

Chanyeol and Jackson where playing a one on one basketball game at the court nearby. V and Jungkook weren't here today either. Jimin said they both caught mysterious fevers.

"Hi everyone," Jimin says at BamBam's phone, greeting the viewers warmly. BamBam makes funny faces while scrolling threw the filters. 

Chen's friends were fairly popular on social media. He was well, but he doesn't use it as often as they do. It can be exhausting sometimes and he doesn't feel comfortable having all those people know about his private life.

BamBam on the other hand was broadcasting his life almost daily. He goes by the name Dab_Dabby on Instagram, taking photos of himself and things that interest him. However, recently he created another account called BamSon, where he uploads photos and videos of him and Jackson 'hanging out'.

Chen and the other cat hybrids found it really suspicious. BamBam claimed he only made it for the views since people enjoyed seeing them together. But Chen saw the content, something had to be going on between them. The way they cuddled and held each other felt way to natural to be 'staged'.

Jimin went by ChimChim online and had a significant following similar to BamBam. But instead of posting pictures of himself all the time, he posts videos of him dancing. It's quite intriguing. 

Chen looked down at his phone and continued to read through an article talking about Taemin's new fashion line. His friend had really out done himself this time, creating a sporty but chic casual wear for both humans and hybrids. The article praises Taemin's work and Chen couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for his friends success. 

"Say hello Chennie." BamBam startles Chen by shoving the phone in his face. 

  
"Hey, cut it out," Chen whines and swats at his friend trying to hold down a laugh. He blocks his hand over the phone's camera, blocking the viewers from seeing him.

"Aw come on Chen. They're asking about you." BamBam pouts while reading the chat. "You don't even interact with your fans."

"I do. Just not directly. They know I care." Chen says. He doesn't do live streams and interact online often. He prefers to do magazine or podcast interviews instead. Chen doesn't find his daily life to be interesting enough for social media documentation. He eats, reads, watches tv, and sleeps. Nothing important. However he does appreciate his fansites, his followers are relatively chill compared to some other fan groups out there.

"Yo Jackson!" BamBam calls out, "Come say hi to the fans!"

Jackson and Chanyeol had taken a break and were talking by the water fountain when BamBam called out to them. The dog hybrids approach and Chen is drawn to Chanyeol's appearance. 

  
The malamute hybrid is wearing a sweatshirt with gym shorts, his skin is glistening with sweat, allowing his musk to permeate Chen's senses. A feeling of unease passes through Chen's stomach and his throat starts to feel dry. 

"Come here stinky," BamBam says, moving to sit up on the picnic table and gesturing for Jackson to sit on the seat between his legs.

"I don't smell that bad do I?" Jackson laughs. He takes the phone out of BamBam's hands and hold it up to show both of them in frame. BamBam picks up a towel they brought and starts drying the golden retriever. 

As they engage with their viewers, Chen sees Chanyeol smiling at him with expectant eyes. They had also brought a towel but Chen wasn't going to dry him. Giving Chanyeol his 'stank' face, he chucks a towel at Chanyeol's head, ignoring how the dog hybrid gives him an amused laugh.

"You stink too." Chen says, moving to sit on the other side of the picnic table top. 

Jimin giggled at their antics, moving to sit behind Chanyeol, much like how BamBam is sitting behind Jackson. He doesn't seem bothered by dog musk.

"They want to see you," BamBam says, reaching over and tugging Chanyeol into frame. 

"Really?" Chanyeol leans into the phone, caramel eyes curiously observing the chat as it explodes with heart emojis. This was probably Chanyeol's first interaction with the media, meaning BamBam's stream was going to be plastered everywhere online. Headlines of 'Kim Junmyeon's Malamute Makes His First Appearance Online' are probably being written as they speak.

"Hey Chanyeol, do you have an insta?" BamBam asks after he finished drying Jackson's head. 

"Yup," Chanyeol replies, draping the towel on his head and pulling out his phone from his gym shorts. "But I don't have any followers."

"What!?" BamBam yelled in shock, Jackson and Jimin looked just as surprised, "Do you have any idea how popular you are right now? Everyone is dying to know about the mysterious malamute hybrid adopted by Mr.Kim Junmyeon. Your Instagram should be booming!"

"Well, I just made it a few days ago out of curiosity." Chanyeol rubbed the back of his head while giving the baffled hybrids a sheepish smile.

Chen listened on with mild interest. He wasn't really surprised Chanyeol had no following. Its not like people are going to know for sure that his account is authentic. Someone is going to have to vouch for him.

"What's your account name?" BamBam says while peeking over at Chanyeol's screen. 

"It's ChanLord16258," he says, pulling open his profile.

"What do the numbers mean?" Jimin asks over Chanyeol's shoulder. And the other hybrids are curious as well, including Chen who has shifted a little closer to them.

"Well uh," Chanyeol begins, looking very shy. "I tried to just have ChanLord but the app kept telling me that it was in use. Even after I included 1 or 2 or...you know. So I just smashed a bunch of random numbers down."

The small group of hybrids all groan in disappointment, exasperated by the lame explanation. 

"Ok everyone go follow my buddy Chanyeol at ChanLord16258," BamBam says the name as if it physically hurts him. He pulls Jackson's phone out and opens their BamSon account in order to follow Chanyeol. Jimin pulls out his own phone to follow Chanyeol as well.

"Oh hey! I'm getting followers already!" He exclaimed while refreshing the page. Chanyeol only had a few photos of himself preparing breakfast, one with Junmyeon and him forming a heart with their hands, and a short video of a frog in their backyard. A bunch of BamBam's followers start liking and commenting on his contents, filling them with hearts, words of adoration, and key smashes.

"Go live," Jimin says while reaching over and tapping the button to live stream.

Now both BamBam and Chanyeol where live streaming at the same time, probably forcing the poor viewers to choose who to watch. Chanyeol's chat is loaded with viewers within seconds.

Chanyeol and Jimin say their hellos before Jimin begins to interview Chanyeol, giving their viewers some facts about the dog hybrid.

"So tell us Mr.Chanyeol," Jimin says while holding up an imaginary mic, "What's it like living with the great Mr.Kim Junmyeon?" He brings the imaginary mic down to Chanyeol's level.

"Well," Chanyeol laughs and plays along, "It's a lot of fun. I don't get to see him much during the week days. But at least I have my music to keep me distracted."

Chen rolls his eyes, however the corners of his mouth curl up into the subtlest of smiles. He shakes his head at their silliness before returning to the article he was reading.

"Oh and I have Chen with me too. We're really close friends."

Chen's stomach drops, his eyes practically bulging out of his head.

"Really now," BamBam purrs while playing with Jackson's ears. He had a mischievous smirk on his face as he leaned over so that he was in frame on Chanyeol's stream. "Tell us more."

"Um," Chanyeol's cheeks turn red for everyone to see.

Chen practically leaped between BamBam and Chanyeol, glaring at his cat hybrid friend. "We are friends. That's it." There is a growl in his tone but even he can't hide the blush dusting his own face. This was becoming embarrassing. 

"Ok ok," BamBam laughs, putting his hands up in defense. However Chen could still see the knowing glint in his eye, leading to Chen swatting at his friend. BamBam whines in protest as Chen whacks at him just off frame from both streams.

"You see this guys," BamBam feigned a hurt tone and looks back at his stream, "See how he treats me?"

"It's only because you're such a brat," Jackson snickered. 

"Am not," BamBam says while pulling at the golden retriever's cheeks. Jackson makes a funny face and Chen starts laughing.

"Uhm. Chen," Chanyeol begins, catching the cat hybrid's attention. "Do you have an Instagram?"

Before Chen could stay anything, Jimin chimes in, "Yup, it's ChenFold. Like a play on tenfold." 

Chen huffs and nodded in confirmation. He didn't have much on his Instagram other that a couple of old photos of him and Junmyeon. Again, his life wasn't all that interesting or eventful.

"There he is," Jimin says as he clicks on the first result for Chanyeol. Chen feels his phone vibrate and he opens it to see that Chanyeol was now following him. Not only that, after they mentioned his name on the stream a whole slew of followers come pouring in. He switches his phone onto silent and huffs in annoyance, that was going to go on for a while.

"Get in closer," Jimin says while pulling Chen into frame of Chanyeol's stream, "They want to see you together."

Chen whines but allows himself to be pulled, weak to Jimin's coaxing. Now he took his friend's place behind Chanyeol, legs bracketing the dog hybrids torso much like BamBam to Jackson. Reflexively, Chen almost reaches up to play with Chanyeol's fluffy ears, a common action whenever the dog hybrid's head is within reach. 

However Chen holds himself back, not wanting to give the viewers any ideas. BamBam and Jackson already market themselves as an item for views, Chen didn't want anything to do with that. 

"The chat is going by so fast I can't read it," Chanyeol laughs, angling the phone up for Chen to see. Their viewers were really going nuts over them being together. A couple where asking how Chen was doing and wondered if he was going to post more to his instagram, which Chen replied with a 'I'm doing fine' and a noncommittal 'maybe'. He saw a few people asking him to cuddle Chanyeol from behind and he most definitely wasn't going to indulge them.

Jimin was resting his head on Chen's shoulder so he could stay in the frame as well. He giggled as he read the chat. 

Chanyeol was trying his best to answer as many questions as he could read between the cascade of emojis and statements of adoration. Chen found it cute how Chanyeol was growing out of breath. He didn't need to answer every single question that popped up. 

After a few more minutes of messing around, they decide to end both streams, saying farewell to the viewers who were begging them to stay. Then, Jimin had to leave, his owner calling him over to head home.

Jackson and Chanyeol return to the court to play a few more rounds of basketball, leaving BamBam and Chen alone together.

"You two fucked didn't you?" BamBam deadpans.

Chen gasps, staring at his friend as if he had just grown a third eye. BamBam continued to stare forward, watching the dog hybrids at play.

"I ... we...," Chen tries to come up with an excuse, try to deny the accusation and save face. But he couldn't. 

"What tipped you off?" Chen asks in defeat. 

BamBam snorts, "I can smell it. You faintly smell of him. I'd say you guys did it a couple of months ago."

A lump forms in Chen's throat, face reddening in shame. He didn't want anyone to know, not even his closest friends. He just wanted to set it behind him and forget it ever happened. 

"You don't need to feel ashamed about it." BamBam's tone becomes softer. "...Jackson and I have done it too."

Chen knew it. 

He knew there was something between them. In any other circumstance he would have been dancing around the table, teasing BamBam about his sexual affairs with a dog hybrid. But given his own position and complicated relationship with Chanyeol, he had no room to talk.

"When? Like in your ruts or something?" Chen inquires, not really sure of what he should be asking.

"After he confessed his feelings to me." BamBam admits. "And then another time after that. And then another after that..." BamBam trails off. This was the first time Chen has ever seen his friend so open with him, so vulnerable.

"We've been together for about a year now." BamBam adds, Chen sees a smile cross the younger cat hybrids face as he watches the golden retriever play. There was nothing but adoration in his eyes. BamBam was being dead serious about this.

In a way, Chen felt happy for him. The love on BamBam's face was proof enough that Jackson was treating him right. Chen really shouldn't be surprised. 

"So," BamBam drops his smile and his voice becomes serious. He turns to Chen, eyes narrowed at the older cat hybrid. 

"What's going on between you and Chanyeol?"

  
🐱🐶

That night Chen goes to bed a little earlier than usual much to Junmyeon's surprise. 

They all decided to spend the evening watching CSI:Seoul together. Because of Junmyeon being caught up at work, he was behind on most of the previous storylines. Chen and Chanyeol had to occasionally fill him in on new characters and plot devices. Junmyeon was seated between Chanyeol and Chen, they cuddled up close to their master like they always did.

It was fun spending time together like this.

However, that night Chen found himself distracted the whole time, missing key detail and being thrown completely off course by irrelevant information. 

His discussion with BamBam replayed in his head.

Chen stole glances at Chanyeol, trying to spot what his friend meant. Trying to see if he can find the signal that the dog hybrid had feelings for him. But nothing stuck out. Was he dense or something?

When he explained what happened during his heat, BamBam was furious, chastising Chen for using Chanyeol like that. Even after Chen said it wouldn't happen again.

'Chanyeol has feelings for you Chen. You can't just let him fuck you and never speak of it again, heat be damned.'

Chen denied having any romantic feelings towards Chanyeol, to which BamBam grew even angrier. Then the younger cat hybrid basically ordered him to straighten things out with Chanyeol, telling Chen not to give the dog hybrid any false hope.

As he lied down in bed, Chen tossed and turned, never seeming to find that perfect spot that always triggers him to snooze. His brain was too active.

Chen thought about every interaction he had with Chanyeol, from the moment he first entered his home all the way to a few hours ago.

Chanyeol smiles at him a lot, but Chanyeol smiles at everyone.

Chanyeol is affectionate towards him, but Chanyeol is affectionate with everyone.

Chanyeol was funny around him, but Chanyeol was funny with everyone.

Chen groans, his lack of understanding only further frustrating him. BamBam once mentioned the way Chanyeol looks at him to be an obvious tell. 

Now that Chen thought about it, he did have quite the affectionate stare. To many times Chen finds himself quivering under Chanyeol's striking caramel eyes, gazing at him as if he were the most precious thing in the universe.

However, Chanyeol looked at Junmyeon with that gaze as well, his eyes lighting up and tail wagging whenever their owner returned home. It made sense considering that Chen and Junmyeon are his new family, a massive step up from his previous one. 

'You and Junmyeon are probably the best thing to ever happen to me.'

A fond smile crosses Chen's lips as sleep finally tugs at his mind. Chanyeol's statement flattered him, even when he wasn't strung out on heat pheromones. 

Chen couldn't deny that his relationship with the dog hybrid has improved, from avoiding the dog hybrid as much as possible, to casually lazing about together, composing music together, to cuddling together...

He really did enjoy and cherish Chanyeol's company. Perhaps living under the same roof for almost a year had Chen subconsciously giving up on trying to stay away. Chanyeol was just too likable. Was this how BamBam and Jackson started out?

'After he confessed his feelings to me.'

Suddenly a wave of panic overcame Chen.

He contemplated the possibility of Chanyeol possibility confessing to him. Jackson seemed like the type to do something like that. But Chanyeol was more timid, not as confrontational and confident as the golden retriever hybrid. 

Chen panicked because even though he told BamBam he didn't have feelings for Chanyeol, he couldn't deny that there was a spark in Chen's heart. There were alot of things that Chanyeol did that really had him considering what life would be like if they actually became a couple. Chanyeol gave off perfect 'boyfriend vibes'. 

And Chanyeol was hot, insanely hot. Even when he isn't high out of his mind on heat endorphins, the image of Chanyeol fucked out and desperate was engraved in his mind. He couldn't count the amount of wet dreams he's had of the dog hybrid in tears, begging for release. If being with Chanyeol meant he could make his fantasies a reality then he'd definitely go for it.

But Chen had a problem.

As much as Chen may want this, nothing can change the fact that his past still haunted him, rearing its ugly head every once and a while to remind Chen that he isn't a normal cat hybrid anymore. 

Chanyeol deserves someone better.

One who won't panic from his touch. One that won't use him to fulfill a stupid heat. One that isn't broken goods...

One who isn't Chen.

Eventually, the worried cat hybrid manages to think himself to sleep.

🐱🐶

Summer passes by relatively quickly, at least to the hybrids and hybrid owner.

Eventually, Junmyeon started going to work again, returning them to their usual routine. 

Chanyeol wakes up the earliest to prepare breakfast, then Chen wakes up next to have breakfast, then Junmyeon runs out last with his tie half done. Once Junmyeon is finished eating, he waves goodbye and heads off to work, leaving Chanyeol and Chen alone together. From there, the hybrids activities vary from bingeing television dramas to reading books to messing around in the music room. Then finally, the day concludes with Junmyeon coming home later and having dinner with his hybrids before bed.

However, this routine was disturbed around the peek of Fall.

One morning, Chen enters the kitchen to find nobody in sight. Confused, Chen walks back upstairs and heads to Chanyeol's room. It's not common for Chanyeol to sleep late in the morning. Junmyeon would often make jokes, lame ones, about how the dog hybrid must be ten percent bird in order wake up that early. Chanyeol explained that it was a habit he picked up from his previous home. He didn't explain any further than that and Chen never pushed forward. The more Chanyeol forgot about his old home the better. 

Chen knocked on the door and hears a weak groan from the other side, the strain in Chanyeol voice boosting Chen's concern. 

When he enters, Chanyeol is laying on his back. His face is pale, sweat beading his forehead. He was breathing through his mouth, taking quick shaky breaths.

Uh oh.

"Junmyeon!," Chen yelled at the top of his lungs, running out of Chanyeol's room and towards his owner's.

"Chanyeol is sick!"

To say Chen is scared would be an understatement.

Hybrids almost never get sick. Their immune systems are powerful enough to withstand any virus the humans decide to throw around. That's why it's very common for hybrids to take care of their owners when they fall ill. 

However, there has been a bug flying around the neighborhood, jumping from Jackson, to V and Jungkook, and now to Chanyeol. Perhaps they should have been more careful.

Chanyeol was running a fever of I04. Junmyeon quickly helped Chanyeol out of bed and dumped him in a cool bath to bring his temperature down. After giving him some tylenol, Junmyeon gave Chen instructions on taking care of Chanyeol while he was gone.

"Remember to be careful around him. We wouldn't want him infecting you next." Junmyeon said before leaving.

Chen wasn't so much afraid of catching what Chanyeol had. He was afraid of screwing up Chanyeol's treatment. 

Almost every thirty minutes Chen would pop his head into Chanyeol's room. He'd either be greeted by a dizzy Chanyeol with a dopey smile or a completely knocked out dog hybrid. More often it was the latter. Chen squinted from the door, looking for the subtle rise and fall of the blanket to indicate that Chanyeol was still breathing. 

When he isn't checking on Chanyeol, Chen tries his best to focus on other things, like reading and watching television. But all of his focus was consumed by checking the time and making sure he tended to Chanyeol. 

Was his behavior irrational? Perhaps. 

It's around lunch time and Chen had just finished preparing a bowl of chicken noodle soup.

He checked on the dog hybrid about twenty minutes ago and saw he was fast asleep again. If by the time Chen goes back up and Chanyeol is still snoozing he'd have no choice but to wake him up for lunch.

Chen never realized how quiet the house could get. He had gotten so used to Chanyeol's presence. Even when they aren't in the same room, he could still hear the faint sound of an instrument coming from the music room, or the sound of weights being moved around in the gym room. 

Now there was nothing but silence.

Chen places the soup on a tray along with a glass of water and heads upstairs. 

Chanyeol is sleeping again, body facing the wall and blanket pulled up to his shoulders. His skin was pale with reddened cheeks and his hair messy. Even his ears looked disheveled if that were even possible. 

When Chen takes a seat on the bed, he hears the dog hybrid taking steady breaths.

"Chanyeol," Chen says softly while carefully shaking his shoulder. "Wake up. You need to eat something."

A heavy groan leaves Chanyeol before his eyelashes flutter. He slowly hoists himself up into a sitting position. His gaze lands on Chen and a drowsy smile adorned his face.

"Hi again." Chanyeol says, voice husky. 

There is something about the way Chanyeol looks that has warmth blooming in Chen's stomach. Maybe it's that heady gaze that could almost be confused for lust. But Chen knew that Chanyeol was just having trouble opening his eyes in the light. In a few more minutes he should be fine.

"How are you feeling?," Chen asks while stirring the bowl of soup on his lap.

"A little better," Chanyeol laughed weakly, "My body doesn't hurt as much." He stretches his arms out in front of him, "And the room isn't spinning as fast as this morning." 

"That's good," Chen chuckled before holding up a spoon full of soup up to Chanyeol's mouth.

He knows Chanyeol could probably do it himself but with how drowsy the dog hybrid looked, he didn't want to risk Chanyeol dropping it all over himself.

The dog hybrid instinctually begins lapping at the spoon and Chen chastises him. 

"Not like that," Chen pouts. Though Chanyeol's action was cute, it ran the risk of making a mess. 

"Right. Sorry," Chanyeol says, his cheeks darkening in embarrassment, "Instincts kicking in again."

A comfortable silence grew between them as Chen fed Chanyeol, allowing the cat hybrid to think. 

Some time has passed since Chen's talk with BamBam. A part of him dreaded seeing his friend again due to his lack of action. BamBam told him to sort this out as soon as possible. But as days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, it started becoming more impossible to bring up. Chen asked why he couldn't just ask during his next heat. That made BamBam livid.

'Really dude? You seriously think you're going to be within your right mind when all your body wants to do is jump his dick?'

"Something wrong?" Chanyeol says, catching Chen's attention. The dog hybrid is looking at him with curious caramel eyes. Chen realizes that he was holding up an empty spoon, the soup was finished.

"No," he replied, handing Chanyeol the glass of water, heat rising to his cheeks this time.

What Chen feared the most about confronting Chanyeol's feelings was the results. If Chanyeol confesses to him, what does he say? Does he turn the dog hybrid down, risking hurting his feelings all so Chanyeol can find someone better? 

Or does he be selfish and accept.

Dooming Chanyeol to a broken relationship with a broken hybrid.

Chen enjoyed the friendly relationship they had now. He enjoyed the playful banter while occasionally competing for Junmyeon's attention. He like how Chanyeol was responsive to his needs and never overstepped boundaries. 

He... liked Chanyeol. 

Which is why Chen didn't want to hurt him.

"That was great," Chanyeol says while sipping his water, "Or maybe I was so hungry that even dirty bath water would taste like a full course meal." He snickered. 

Chen whined and was about to swat at Chanyeol until he remembered the dog hybrid's condition. He might not hit hard but smacking Chanyeol around at this time might not be ideal for his recovery. So instead he gives a defeated sigh and places his hand on Chanyeol's blanketed knee.

"Get some more rest," Chen says, not meaning for his words to sound so soft. Perhaps it was because of Chanyeol still trying to brighten up the mood even though he was probably in a lot of pain.

"Hey," Chanyeol grabbed Chen's shirtsleeve right before the cat hybrid moved to leave. "How are you doing?"

Chen is confused, tilting his head at Chanyeol's sudden question. "I'm fine," he replied. 

Chanyeol's gaze traveled around Chen's face before he smiles softly.

"Good," he says, "I was sort of half conscious this morning, but I was able to sense your panic." Chanyeol places his large hand over Chen's. The dog hybrid's hand was warmer than usual, probably due to the fever. But it wasn't any less comforting.

"Thanks for taking care of me," Chanyeol says softly.

In that moment, as Chen looked into Chanyeol's eyes, he finally saw what BamBam was talking about. It wasn't something easily described other than heartwarming, how someone could gaze at him with such affection and longing. It was almost enough to overwhelm Chen.

"You're welcome," Chen said, trying to keep his voice from cracking. His pulse pumped loud in his ears as he got up from the bed. "Do you need anything else?"

"I'm fine for now," Chanyeol beamed, almost as bright as when he wasn't sick. "Tomorrow moring I'll make your favorite pancakes."

Chen's stomach fluttered as he nodded, exiting the dog hybrid's room as quickly as possible. He leaned against the door, allow his head the rest on the surface. A long sigh escaped his lips. 

He was so screwed. 

  
🐱🐶

  
Chen thought things could continue as they were before.

Go on continuing to believe that Chanyeol wasn't romantically attracted to him and that BamBam was just talking out his ass.

However, after he finally saw Chanyeol's 'look' towards him, it's become impossible to ignore. 

'The look' is was Chen calls it when Chanyeol is gazing at him affectionately. The look that has Chen's stomach swooping, his chest warming, his heart going nuts.

The next morning, Chanyeol kept his promise of making Chen his favorite blueberry pancakes, 'the look' on full display.

Chen sees 'the look' almost all the time now. When they watch television, when they're with Junmyeon, when they make music, even when they bicker. It was insane.

A noise chirps from his phone and Chen roles over in bed to check on it. It was a message from Instagram showing that Chanyeol had started a live stream. 

Chen grimaced and placed his phone back down. He went to bed while Chanyeol was still awake in the music room. 

Chanyeol has become a lot more active on social media, from taking pictures of his food to making little videos of backyard critters. He's also become fairly adept at taking selfies, no doubt with help from Jimin. Chanyeol had grown quite the following in a few months, almost surpassing Chen. 

He had the perfect boyfriend aura, always asking if his viewers eat well and get enough sleep. It's obvious that Chanyeol didn't mean to come off as flirtatious, regardless he caught a lot of hearts. The public is calling him one of hybrid kinds biggest celebrity heartthrobs. It's funny because Jackson used to be labeled the same until he formed a couple account with BamBam.

This was the first time Chanyeol has live streamed since their hangout with BamBam, Jackson, and Jimin. Chen didn't want to see the dog hybrid now, not when he was trying to sleep and he wasn't thinking clearly.

But Chen's curiosity got the better of him, wondering what Chanyeol was like when he wasn't around.

"Good evening!" Chanyeol greeted his viewers, laughing when the chat exploded into a mess of replies and emojis. 

Chen noticed that Chanyeol had changed into his pajamas and wore a large grey hoodie. The one that Chen likes to steal from time to time. 

"Today, I'm going to give an exclusive tour of my music studio." Chanyeol said, "Well technically Junmyeon's music studio. I mean he set the place up so I could make music but it still technically belongs to him I guess." He corrects, rubbing the back of his head with a nervous laugh.

Chanyeol's awkwardness had the chat cooing, filling with hearts and comments of encouragement. It even got a little smile out of Chen. Chanyeol is shy around strangers, even ones through a computer screen. So it's nice see the dog hybrid try and solo a live stream. 

Chen was about to type to Chanyeol to relax until he remembered why he's here.

Chanyeol begins showing of 'his' music studio, showing the viewers a couple samples he had saved on his computer. Especially 'Growl', the one that Chanyeol played so often it haunted Chen's sleep. The viewers seemed to love it, asking Chanyeol for a full version one day. Chen hoped it would be done so Chanyeol could move on to something else for heavens sake.

As the live stream continued, Chanyeol appeared to grow more comfortable talking with his audience, especially after learning that he doesn't have to respond to every single little question that he sees. People were there for him, not the other way around. His fans would be content with just seeing his face.

"Over here is my favorite instrument," Chanyeol said, walking over to a blood orange guitar that Chen was very familiar with. "This right here is the first instrument Junmyeon ever got me." Chanyeol eyed the electric guitar fondly.

About a year ago, after Chanyeol expressed how he likes to make music, Junmyeon took Chanyeol to a music shop. Chen still remembers how the dog hybrid looked when they returned home, his eyes twinkling bright while hugging the guitar crate like it was the greatest gift in the world.

Back then, Chen was too busy despising the dog hybrid to care. However, now that they had grown closer, Chen considers it a fond memory. 

"I still remember seeing this guitar for the first time," Chanyeol leans the phone against a couple of books and grabs the guitar. "It was hanging on the back wall, light shining on it from the window. Of all the other cool guitars lined up, I just couldn't take my eyes of this one."

Chanyeol plugged the guitar into the amp and tuned it, his ears twitching as they focused on the sounds.

"It was so beautiful..." Chanyeol trails off when he begins strumming the instrument, his long fingers moving masterfully to produce a melody. The dog hybrid goes into a trance, his eyes closing and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. 

Chen stared in awe as Chanyeol allowed the music to take control. He had never seen the dog hybrid play the guitar so passionately before. The tune appeared to be an amalgamation of all of his previous creations, flowing and blending seamlessly together.

It sounded amazing.

When Chanyeol finished, he slips out of his little trance, blinking up at the stream through his black bangs.

"...I just had to have it."

Even through the screen, Chanyeol's caramel stare sent a chill up Chen's spine. There is a possessiveness in Chanyeol's gaze, primal and raw. It made Chen's heart race.

"Anyways," Chanyeol clears his throat, "Junmyeon probably saw me drooling and decided to get it for me. This is the greatest gift he has even gotten me. Other than providing me with a new home of course."

Chanyeol changed back into his shy awkward self, fidgeting with his instrument as if he didn't just play his heart out. Chen took breaths to calm his heart down, trying his best to get over what he just saw. It was nothing like 'the look' Chanyeol gave him. But it certainly was effective in flustering Chen, even if it wasn't particularly aimed at him.

After talking with his audience for a couple more minutes, a question seems to catch Chanyeol's attention.

"Why orange?" Chanyeol reads of the chat. It was clear the commenter was referring to the guitar. 

A small part of Chen was curious as well. Orange isn't a very popular color. Most people don't even consider it as one of their favorites. Not that the color is bad, just massively underrated. 

Chen's name is derived from 'chéng sè', the chinese world for the color orange. He was given this name due to his orange eyes, or so that's what the person who named him said. For a long time he resented his name, an aspect of himself that would sometimes remind him of his previous owners. 

Junmyeon slowly taught him how to love it, associating the name with as many positive things as possible. Fruits, flowers, sunsets, etc.

Orange isn't Chen's favorite color. But it holds a special place close to his heart.

Chanyeol is still in thought over the question, eyeing his guitar as if it will give him an answer. Why did he chose an orange guitar?

Suddenly, Chen's breath catches in his throat from what he sees.

Even through the subtle fuzz of the phone camera, Chen spots 'the look'. Chanyeol is aiming it at the guitar. This is the first time Chen sees Chanyeol aim it at anything else other than him. 

"It's my favorite color." Chanyeol says simply, running his fingers tenderly up the guitar's neck.

Chen panics, backing out of the instagram app and pulling the blanket over his head.

Insane.

He's going insane.

  
🐱🐶

  
Chen was reading a new book. It was about a young witch falling in love with a werewolf. Or was it a vampire? Or a werevampire? He was having a had time focusing on the story exactly, going threw a page only to realize he hadn't processed a single word.

Licking his lips, Chen looked down from his book to see Chanyeol in his usual position, resting his head on his lap while Chen's fingers rubbed the fluff of his ears. This is the closest they've ever been without becoming too intimate. They've done this plenty of times before. But after finding out about Chanyeol's feelings for him, Chen finds it difficult to concentrate on his books. 

It had been a few days since Chanyeol's instagram live stream and Chen was still shaken.

Chen might have told BamBam that he didn't feel anything towards Chanyeol at the time. But as more time passed, with Chanyeol displaying a slew of attractive and charming qualities, he's come to understand that he did have feeling for the dog hybrid. And they went far beyond just sexual attraction. 

The problem was Chen's past.

He rubbed circles into Chanyeol's ear, applying more pressure to the right spot. He's rewarded with a shaky breath from Chanyeol, the dog hybrid shuddered in his lap.

"Chanyeol," Chen says softly, moving his hand away from the dog hybrid's ear. He feels his throat grow dry, his nerves on the verge of wavering from what he was about to say next.

"Hmm," Chanyeol replied while his eyelids fluttered, leaving his zen state of mind and focusing on Chen's voice.

"Do you have feelings for me."

There is a silence between them. For a second, Chen believes the dog hybrid failed to hear him, likely not fully out of his daze yet. He dreaded the possibility of needing to repeat himself again.

But just before he does, Chanyeol shoots up from his lap. He stares at Chen, caramel eyes wide and mouth agape. It looked almost comical.

Chanyeol cleared his thought as he collected himself. "What do you mean by that?"

"What do you mean 'what do you mean'." Chen narrows his gaze, "It means what it means."

Chen sees the nervousness and uncertainty cross Chanyeol's face, almost as if he was about to get up and run at any second. So Chen sighs and softens his expression.

"Do you have romantic feelings towards me?" He asks, peering up at the dog hybrid at his side.

Still looking apprehensive, Chanyeol's eyes scan Chen's face for something. Chen tries his best to look calm, but his heart raced in his chest as he waited for Chanyeol's answer.

"If I said yes...," Chanyeol begins carefully, "would you be angry?"

Chen's expression remained indifferent. Internally he was a mess, a cascade of feelings ripping through his body, with the most prominent ones being shock and panic.

Even though he was fully aware of how Chanyeol felt about him, the confession still shook him to the core. 

"Chen?"

Chanyeol's voice takes Chen out of his head. He sees the fear in Chanyeol's eyes, reminding Chen that he was asked a question.

"I...I'm not mad." Chen didn't know how to feel, but by the way his voice was shaky, he was definitely panicked. A coil of anxiety building up in his gut.

"You...," Chen balls his hands into fists as he holds the dog hybrids gaze. "You can't."

Chanyeol knitted his eyebrows in confusion. 

"You just can't ok." Chen voice wavers and he only now realizes he's shaking, tears welling up in his eyes. And he doesn't know why. He squeezed his eyes shut and the tears finally fall. He had to get a hold of himself.

"Chen," the cat hybrid feels a warm breath on his face and a body close to him, just barely touching him.

Chen blinks away his tears, and looks at Chanyeol. He was leaning into Chen's face, his caramel eyes were just as mesmerizing as the first day they met. Chanyeol gazed at him affectionately, sad smile on his lips.

"Are you that upset with me?" Chenyeol's voice is quiet, laced with disappointment. 

No, he wasn't. In fact, he was quite the opposite. 

"It's ok if you reject me." 

No, Chen didn't want that.

"I'll get over it."

No don't. 

When Chanyeol moves to get up from the couch, Chen's body acts on it's own. His hand surges forward and grabs Chanyeol's wrist, keeping him in place.

Chanyeol's gaze flickers between the hand on his wrist and Chen's face, confused by Chen's actions. 

"I...don't want to reject you," he says barely above a whisper. He's going to regret this. He knows he is. 

Chanyeol deserves someone better. 

But in this moment, as Chanyeol crowds closer to him, his eyes filled with nothing but affection. 

Chen couldn't help but want this.

Chanyeol leans in, pretty caramel eyes searching the cat hybrid's expression. He was so close, Chen could feel Chanyeol's warm breath caressing his face. His heart felt like it was going to explode. 

"Is this ok?" Chanyeol asks softly. It was obvious what he wanted to do.

"I'm nervous," Chen admitted, but he doesn't shy away, hand still gripping Chanyeol's arm.

"Don't be," Chanyeol whispered before leaning over and connecting their lips.

The kiss is soft, their lips grazing each other ever so slightly. Chanyeol's lips were warm and soft. Even though Chen has done this before with other hybrids, this had to be the sweetest, most innocent kiss he had ever experienced. 

Chanyeol pushes forward to deepen the kiss and Chen doesn't protest, focusing on the softness of Chanyeol's lips. There is a tiny sensation of unease in Chen's gut, but its greatly overshadowed by the singing of his heart. 

Chen places his hands on Chanyeol's shoulders. Because of the dog hybrid's tank top, his fingers come in contact with the warm skin. The action prompts Chanyeol to deepen the kiss even further, using his large frame to coax Chen onto his back. 

Again, the nerves in Chen's stomach grow and tighten. Chen ignores it, choosing to give in to his base desires. Chanyeol kisses him lovingly, slowly disconnected and reconnecting their lips. He has his hands placed on the couch, being mindful of Chen's red zones as always.

A shaky breath leaves Chen when Chanyeol parts their lips once more. At some point Chen closed his eyes, lost in the bliss feeling Chanyeol's love on his lips. He could stay like this forever, allow Chanyeol to kiss him till the end of time.

However, his euphoria shatters when Chanyeol licks his upper lip.

Suddenly, panic filling his stomach. 

No. Not again.

"Chen?" He hears Chanyeol's concerned voice, the one that is about to ask if he's ok, if he wants to stop.

Chen ignored Chanyeol, surging forward and reconnecting their lips. Even when the panic increases in his stomach the desperate cat hybrid pushes on.

He wants this. He knows he does.

Chanyeol tries to pull away but Chen holds him still, not wanting the dog hybrid to end this for his sake. 

He's fine. Everything's fine.

"Chen," Chanyeol whimpers when he finally manages to part their lips. The strain in the dog hybrid's voice gets Chen to finally stop. 

He opens his eyes and is about to beg Chanyeol to continue until he spots the pain in the other hybrid's face. 

Chen turns pale when he realizes why.

His claws had extended and were digging into Chanyeol's shoulder. When Chen moved to retract them, Chanyeol whimpered again, a pitiful noise. Chen's heart sank when he saw the blood on the tips of his nails. 

Shit.

"Chen-"

"Follow me," Chen pushed Chanyeol off of him and began pulling the dog hybrid to the bathroom. 

"...Che-"

"Just shut up and follow me ok!?" Chen hissed, avoiding Chanyeol's gaze. Thankfully Chanyeol obeys, keeping his mouth shut, but Chen could feel the dog hybrid's gaze on the the back of his head.

Shit shit shit.

His heart beat loud in his ears as he pulled Chanyeol into the bathroom and immediately started looking for medical supplies. 

He needs to take care of this first.

Chen cleaned Chanyeol's wounds. There were claw marks on the back of Chanyeol's shoulders, they weren't deep but there was blood. Chanyeol winced when Chen dabbed alcohol on the scratches, however he remained quiet, allowing the cat hybrid to tend to his cuts.

Once done Chen washed his hands, being sure to scrub his fingernails thoroughly. As a matter of fact he kept scrubbing even when it looked completely clean.

A large hand is placed on his wrist and his motions halt. Chen looks up to see Chanyeol gazing down at him, his eyebrows scrunched in concern. 

Looks like there was no hiding it.

Chen had to come clean.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, just loud enough for the dog hybrid to hear. 

After drying his hands, Chen leaned against the countertop, eyes focused on the koi fish wallpaper. Because if he looked Chanyeol in the eyes, he'd probably breakdown before he even starts his story.

The story of how he broke.

"...I once lived in a home out in the suburbs," Chen begins, licking his chapped hips, "with two owners and a couple of dog hybrids. They'd been in and out often during the week. My owners had very... unusual tastes." 

Chen couldn't believe he was retelling this story once again. The only other time being when he told Junmyeon years ago. Chen tried his best to forget it. To move on and forget his life before Junmyeon. But Chanyeol had to know. 

Needed to know why they couldn't be together.

"They made me do things with them. Then they made me do things with the dog hybrids. They had this tape recorder and..." Chen forced his voice to stay steady, his fingers white knuckling the edge of the counter. "I wasn't allowed to speak or else I'd be punished." Chen's voice begins to waver, bottom lip trembling as the painful memory surfaced once more.

"If I made them angry, they... they would... order the dog hybrids to ... to ra-"

Chen is startled by Chanyeol pulling him into a tight hung, one arm around his upper back while his other hand pushed Chen's head into his chest.

"No more," Chanyeol whispers, "Don't say anymore."

The sob is evident in his voice and Chen can feel the dog hybrid tremble. Chen wraps his hands around Chanyeol's back as despair crashed over him. Chanyeol's familiar scent helps to calm some of his nerves, but it wasn't enough to stop Chen from weeping. 

This is why Chanyeol deserves better.

"I'm sorry. I'm broken. I'm so fucking broken." Chen weeps into the dog hybrid's chest. "No one is going to want me. No one."

"Don't say that," Chanyeol moves to cup Chen's face between his hands, warm thumbs caressing Chen's cheeks. "I still want you." 

Chanyeol's voice is soft, his glassy caramel eyes affectionate as always. It only makes Chen more upset.

"No, you shouldn't. I'll only hurt you." Chen was still in shock over what he did. It's been years since his claws extended and he never thought they would sink into someone he cared about.

"My wounds will heal," Chanyeol says softly, leaning his forehead against Chen's. "We'll work through this together."

"I...I don't think I'm ready for that. I really don't." Chen whimpers, bringing his hands up to Chanyeol's and closing his eyes. He slowly takes in the dog hybrid's scent and allows it to calm him further.

Chen didn't want to risk hurting Chanyeol over and over just to make things work, regardless if Chanyeol was fully on board with it. The thought made his stomach ache.

"That's fine, I won't force you into anything," Chanyeol plants a kiss on Chen's forehead, making the cat hybrid practically melt. "I'm fine with staying friends honestly." 

The levity in Chanyeol's voice helps to relax Chen. He was slowly recovering from his meltdown, his heart rate evening out. They stay like that, Chanyeol gently patting Chen's upper back and shushing Chen's patheric whimpers and hiccups.

"I really am sorry for hurting you." Chen says, raising a hand to trace the edge of the bandage. The scars are probably going to take forever to heal.

"Pff. Hurt me? You couldn't hurt a fly," Chanyeol joked with a smirk. 

Chen laughs, eyes puffy and teary.

There the dog hybrid goes, making Chen fall for him yet again.

Rejecting Chanyeol will probably be the hardest thing he has ever done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Hope everyone is doing ok so far.
> 
> Btw, I have a love/hate relationship with "Wolf". The vocals are amazing. And I love dubstep. But like... it's so damn bizarre lol.
> 
> Anyways, tell me what you think about this chapter. It's an emotional roller coaster right?
> 
> I'm going to probably have three more chapters left, including an epilogue. 
> 
> Stay safe everyone 
> 
> ~Renard


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyy, How yall doing? Great I hope.
> 
> Soon I'll be heading back to university and studying my butt off. If there is one good thing to come out of this quarenteen (at least for me) its the free time to write.
> 
> Anyways, after days of proofreading I finally believe this chapter is decent enough to post lol. I know there is definitely going to be spelling errors but I'll catch them later.
> 
> Happy reading.
> 
> ~Renard

"So it didn't go well?"

"Nope," Chen says, allowing his book to fall on to his face.

"Damn," BamBam cusses while gazing out into the horizon. 

Though it was technically fall, today happened to be sunny and warm. It prompted Junmyeon and a couple of other hybrid owners to have a beach day. 

Junmyeon and Jinyoung were sitting at the beach bar, drinking juice of course, while their hybrids enjoyed the beach. Chen and BamBam are sitting under large umbrellas, lounging about on beach towels while Chanyeol and Jackson are playing soccer. 

“It wasn’t that big a deal,” Chen clarified, removing the book from his face and staring up into the royal blue beach umbrella. 

A few weeks ago, Chanyeol confessed to Chen and it ended badly, with Chen revealing why they couldn't be together. 

It was difficult. But it was for the best.

"At least you cleared things up instead of leading him on," BamBam says. 

"Yeah," Chen says, glancing over to the dog hybrids at play. 

Chen couldn't take his friend seriously with his red speedo and arm floaters, he looked ridiculous. Chen on the other hand, had black swim leggings that clung to his legs and rear. BamBam made a snarky comment about Chen wanting to turn a few heads with his swim outfit, to which the older cat hybrid gave him a few strong swats to the arm, stating the younger had no room to talk.

Chanyeol and Jackson had on swim shorts, both in black, with Chanyeol wearing a white t-shirt. 

Chen had Chanyeol promise not to tell Junmyeon about what happened between them and to hide his scars. This was now the second thing Chen was hiding from his precious owner, the first being Chanyeol's help with his heat. He wasn't proud of it but it had to be done to keep Junmyeon from worrying. 

Eventually Chanyeol's scars will heal and they can completely forget it ever happened. 

"It's a real shame you don't like him back." BamBam says, taking a sip of his pineapple juice while glancing at the dog hybrids. "He's a cutie."

BamBam doesn't know of Chen's past, and he'd like to keep it that way. Not that he didn't trust his friend, it's just that Chen didn't want anyone to know unless they needed to. Thankfully BamBam isn't the type to pry when it come to these sorts of things. 

"So you're not going to use him for your heat right?" BamBam asks.

"Nope," Chen shakes his head. "I'm not doing that with him again. I'm just going to use my heat toy like everyone else."

Deep down, Chen prayed he'd have the self control not to seek out the dog hybrid during his heat. Because he was pretty sure Chanyeol was weak to his begging. Perhaps he could have Chanyeol lock his door at night or something. Have him treat Chen like a flesh eating zombie.

"Good boy," BamBam teased, right before receiving a swat from Chen.

"Who is?", Jackson asks while walking over to the cat hybrids, Chanyeol right behind him.

"You are," BamBam says before spreading his legs and tapping the towel between them, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Jackson takes a seat and is immediately assaulted by a towel. "You're my good boy," BamBam purred. 

Chen scrunched his nose up at the couple. Ever since BamBam came clean about their relationship, they've done little to hide their affection. They only hide it around Taemin, Key, and Jimin. At least for now.

Chanyeol smiles at the two before he comes around to Chen's side. The cat hybrid moves over to provide more room for him to sit in the shade. Chanyeol's white shirt was clinging to his chest, exposing a fantastic physique that Chen started to fantasized about more frequently.

"Have fun?" Chen asks, handing Chanyeol a water bottle and praying he wasn't caught ogling the dog hybrid. 

"Yeah," Chanyeol laughs while taking a few sips of water, "Jackson really kicked my ass out there." He lifted the hem of his shirt to rub the sweat off his face, exposing the hard muscle beneath. Chen started feeling hot, and it wasn't the from the sun. 

Chanyeol really is one of the most attractive hybrids he has ever seen. 

"Would one of you lovely cat hybrids like to take Chanyeol's place?" Jackson asks, a twinkle of confidence in his eyes.

"I volunteer as tribute!," BamBam says before playfully shoving Jackson into the sand and running towards the water. Jackson vocalized his dismay before chasing after the cat hybrid, shaking sand out of his pants. 

BamBam completely ignored the soccer ball and jumped into the chilly water, screaming when it made contact with his skin. Jackson is fast behind him, splashing water and laughing at him.

"They're too silly," Chen chuckles as he watches the couple fool around.

"I think they're cute," Chanyeol says.

Chen looks over his shoulder to look at Chanyeol. There is a sparkle in the dog hybrid's eyes, watching the couple with adoration and longing. Chen's chest grows tight.

When they talked afterwards about what happened, Chen apologized to Chanyeol again for hurting him. He had hoped that the dog hybrid would take what happened as a reason for them not to be together. However, Chanyeol refused to accept that.

'I won't give up on you, even if I can't hold or make love to you.'

The determination in Chanyeol's eyes filled Chen with both adoration and dread. He didn't know if his body will ever open up to Chanyeol without hurting him, the physical and mental trauma running too deep. 

However he has been surprised before. There once was a time where Chen thought Junmyeon would never be able to hold and embrace him like an affectionate owner. Almost four years later, Chen is practically begging and nagging Junmyeon for physical attention like a needy cat hybrid should.

But could Chen open himself up to Chanyeol's love?

After years of experiencing a gross perversion of hybrid romance?

Chen scoots over and leans his head against Chanyeol's broad shoulder. His musk smelled even stronger from the sweat. Before, the malamute's scent used to calm him. And to an extent it still did. However, after learning what he knows now, after realizing that he can't have Chanyeol, the scent upsets him.

Because it felt so right.

Chanyeol doesn't pull away, leaning his head against Chen's as they watch the hybrid couple at play. Jackson picks up a screaming BamBam at one point and flings him into the deeper side of the water, causing Chen and Chanyeol to chuckle. 

"Do you... wish that was us?" Chen asks absent mindedly. He realizes the insensitivity of his question a little to late, "Sorry, that was stupid of me. Forget I ask-"

"Yes."

Chen turns to see Chanyeol gazing at him with conviction, his caramel eyes intense. The air around them shifts, creating a pregnant silence. Chen is scrambling to say something but finds it difficult with the dog hybrid staring at him like that. Like Chen is the only thing he needs in this world.

"But I'm patient." Chanyeol's expression softens, "I won't push you into something you aren't ready for."

Damn it. Chanyeol was making it really difficult not to fall for him.

Chen eyed Chanyeol lips, only a few inches apart. So close he could practically still taste them. 

Ever since their first kiss, Chen has been fantasizing about doing it again. His eyes occasionally linger on Chanyeol's lips. That kiss felt so perfect to Chen, warm and comforting. Chen had to constantly remind himself that kissing again would be a bad idea. 

Chanyeol may have feelings for him now, but eventually he'll find someone else. 

Someone who isn't broken.

  
🐱🐶

  
More time passes and things seem to get better between them. 

Chen occasionally sees 'the look' from Chanyeol but it's not as strong as before, leading him to believe that the dog hybrid might be moving on. It hurt to see Chanyeol fall out of love with him, like he was missing a train headed towards a perfect future.

Chen had to keep telling himself that this was for the best.

On the other hand, he cherished their friendship and Chanyeol never went back on his word, continuing to treat Chen like a best friend. As usual, they bickered, fought for attention, and cuddled to the fullest extent without crossing boundaries. 

That itch for possible companionship still lingered in Chen's gut but he'll get over it. He had no other choice but to get over it.

However, every now and then, Chanyeol would catch him off guard. 

It's nearing the peek of fall now, cold weather imminent. Junmyeon is wrapping up his film scenes, hoping to get the season finally finished before winter break. Then he'll have more time to spend with his hybrids.

Chen hated winter. The frigid air nipped at his sensitive ears, bothering him to no end. 

Chanyeol on the other hand was completely in his element, spending as much time as possible outside, doing things from jogging to playing guitar. It must of had something to do with being a malamute. His breed thrives in cold weather.

It's late in the afternoon, Junmyeon would be home within a couple of hours.

Chen is in his designated reading spot by the window, a mug of warm milk on the table and a thick blanket engulfing him. While he was inside enjoying the warmth of the house, Chanyeol was jogging around the backyard, seemingly unaffected by the chilly weather. All the dog hybrid had on was a thin sweatshirt and gym shorts. His hair, ears, and tail appeared fluffier than usual. 

Before leaving, Chanyeol asks if Chen wanted to join him, which the cat hybrid strictly declined, saying he had better things to do than freeze his butt off.

The book Chen was reading is a continuation of the last book, the one about the prince seeking to return back to his kingdom after getting lost in battle. This new book, focused on the forest wizard who helps him. In the beginning, the wizard is dismissive and snappy towards the prince, chastising him for not knowing the fundamental basics of the magical world. But over time, the wizard grows to like-

"Man, that felt great!"

Chanyeol's deep voice takes Chen out of his book. He looks up and is prepared to dismiss the dog hybrid. However when his gaze lands on the other hybrid, Chen nearly choked on his spit. 

Passing through the glass door is a shirtless Chanyeol, sweat covering his heated skin. His toned chest rises and falls as he tries to catch his breath. Chen sees the shirt in Chanyeol's hand, veins present in his arm as he clutches the shirt. Chanyeol's musk was the strongest it has ever been, making Chen's head spin.

Shit.

Chanyeol walks nonchalantly to the kitchen and grabs his water bottle off the counter. Some water trickles out the corner of his mouth, running down his strong chin and dripping on his collarbone bone. Chen licks his lips, feeling thirsty himself, but probably not in the usual way.

It's a scene that he should be used to by now considering how long they've lived together. Even so, Chen couldn't look away.

When he finished drinking, Chanyeol rakes a hand through his bangs, pushing them back to expose his forehead right before licking his moistened lips. God, it had to be a crime to look this good after a workout. 

Chen bites his lip, forcing his primal instincts down. Was he going into heat or something?

Chanyeol catches Chen staring and the dog hybrid had the audacity to smirk at him. Judging by the look in his caramel eyes, Chen could tell Chanyeol wasn't ignorant to how the cat hybrid felt about his body. Chen wasn't very good at hiding his interest, at least not anymore.

Without breaking eye contact, Chanyeol leans back against the counter, showing of the magnificent body. The excellent muscles that are a result of a healthy work out regimen. Dark pink nipples that taunted Chen from a distance. Creamy skin peppered with cute moles only highlighted Chanyeol's natural handsomeness.

And just below the waistband of Chanyeol's gym shorts was the perfect cock that helped break Chen's heat. 

"You should have joined me," Chanyeol says, sounding more seductive than ever.

Chen didn't appreciate that.

"In you're dreams," he hisses, taking a swig of his warm milk to finish it and setting it down hard on the table. The snicker from Chanyeol only makes him seethe even more, the red of his cheeks darkening 

Chen keeps his gaze on his book, only semi listening to the dog hybrid have a snack in the kitchen before heading up to his room. 

"I'm going to take a shower now," Chanyeol says, Chen could practically hear the smile on his face as he speaks. A growl threatened to leave his chest but he kept it down.

"Good. You smell awful." Chen lied.

Chanyeol smelled wonderful. 

  
🐱🐶

  
Eventually the weather gets so cold that even Chanyeol can't handle it anymore. Snow fell the night before, covering everything in white.

Chen and Chanyeol both stared out the window in awe at their entire backyard covered in snow. This wasn't an entirely unfamiliar scene for Chen, but this was the first time he had ever seen the snow look so pristine. It was almost like powdered sugar had fell from the sky.

However, he's had enough snow days to learn that playing in snow is actually far less enjoyable than TV dramas would have you believe. It's cold, damp, and gets everywhere. And when it melts, you're soaking wet and uncomfortable.

Chen definitely preferred admiring the frosted white from a nice cozy spot behind a window.

"Let's play outside!" Chanyeol beams.

Hell no.

"Yes, let's enjoy the snow for a bit," Junmyeon says.

Damn it.

And so, here Chen was, covered from head to toe in snow wear. His outfit matched his gothic style with black and shades of gray. A black scarf warped around his face to protect his nose and mouth. And most importantly, a dark grey beanie to protect his sensitive ears. Sadly, even under all this clothing, Chen still felt cold.

Junmyeon and Chanyeol weren't as thickly dressed, but they were still protected. 

Junmyeon wore earmuffs to protect his human ears, while Chanyeol wore nothing around his head. Chanyeol's fluffy hair and ears were enough to keep him warm.

While Chen mopes on the back porch, Chanyeol is running around the yard, sloshing through the snow with glee. He dashed around Junmyeon, who is laughing and reminding Chanyeol to be careful. 

"Let's make a snow dog!" Chanyeol says excitedly, collecting as much snow as he can in his arms and pushing it into a mound. Junmyeon starts helping but Chen stays right where he is.

"Come help us Chen!," Junmyeon waves over with his bright smile. Chanyeol looks at Chen with pleading sparkling eyes.

How could he possibly turn down both his owner and his cute friend when they gang up on him like that.

Sighing in defeat, Chen walks over, grimacing when his boots sink into snow. Given his stature, his mobility is severely hindered compared to the taller dog hybrid. He spends the entire walk grumbling under his breath about how they were too far away and how they should have built it closer to the house.

Chen's complaints cease when he finally reaches them, a pout present under his thick scarf. He places himself between Junmyeon and Chanyeol, ignoring how the human and dog hybrid are beaming at him.

"So what are we building again?" Chen asks, blindly copying Chanyeol's movements. 

"A dog," Chanyeol says.

"Yeah but what kind?," Chen huffed. From what they were forming, it looked to be a very thick dog, more on the pudgy side.

"The fluffiest malamute," Chanyeol replied with a chuckle, "What else?"

Chen tilts his head and tries to see what Chanyeol was seeing but fails. He chooses to just go along with Chanyeol's instructions, building up parts and smoothing down others. Junmyeon appeared to be having fun listening to the 'artistic' dog hybrid. 

"Alright. I think we're done here," Chanyeol says, getting up from his knees and brushing the snow off his hands. Junmyeon and Chen do the same before standing back and inspecting their work. 

Chen's hands are freezing cold, the snow turning wet from his body heat. He's definitely heading inside after this.

The sculpture looked less like a fluffy malamute and more like a chubby shiba inu. Chen would of found it cute if he wasn't so annoyed by the cold.

"Great work guys," Junmyeon applauded, he rubs at Chen's beanie covered head and behind Chanyeol's ear. The dog hybrid whines in delight and the cat hybrid mewls.

Realizing what they did at the same time, they blush in unison. Chanyeol rubs the back of his head and laughs awkwardly while Chen averted his gaze.

An owner's praise is something powerful.

A few minutes later, they go back inside, taking warm showers to chase away the cold. 

Chen is the first to finish, slipping into a cozy oversized sweater and cotton pants before curling up on the couch. During the winter, there are an abundance of cheesy holiday dramas that play on repeat every year. Chen doesn't like to admit it but they have become his guilty pleasure.

There was one in particular that he enjoyed. It was called Puppy Love, where a young dog hybrid woman named Molly slowly falls in love with an older dog hybrid man named Ken. Their age gap wasn't as large as the show initially had him believe, especially since the hybrid actress was actually older than the other hybrid actor. How Chen found that out isn't important. It definitely wasn't due to him having a small crush on the dog hybrid noona. Definitely not.

Anyways, their love story was cute and fun, filled with twists and turns that seem absurd in real life. Another peculiar aspect about the show was that it took place in a universe without hybrid owners. So hybrids just went about their day, taking the places of humanity. It was strange but Chen still enjoyed it regardless.

When Chen turned to the right channel he was excited to see that the show he was looking for was about to play next, right after a couple more commercials. He plopped himself down on the couch and waited in anticipation. 

"Still cold?" Chen turned in the direction of Chanyeol's voice, seeing the dog hybrid in similar attire to his own, with the sweater actually fitting of course. 

Chen didn't realize he was hugging his legs till now, hiding them under his sweater. He shifts and cold air nipped his skin, causing him to hiss. This wasn't the first time the cold would linger on him. He has half a mind to believe it's all in his head. There were a couple of blankets on the shelf, but Chen was feeling too lazy at the moment. 

"Here, let me help," Chanyeol smiles and walks over to sit next to Chen, leaning his long arms on the back of the couch. Already, he feels the dog hybrid's body heat and huddles closer, cuddling into his side. Chanyeol was as warm as a furnaces. 

"This is better," Chen hums while rubbing his face into Chanyeol's shoulder. His scent was faint due to the soap, but Chen could still smell it, wrecking him like it always does.

Eventually Junmyeon comes down stairs in his bunny pajamas, getting a laugh out of the snuggling hybrids. The hybrid owner pouts before joining them on the couch, seating himself on the other side of Chanyeol to warm up as well.

They watch Chen's favorite holiday drama together. Junmyeon and Chen tease Chanyeol at the end if every episode, claiming that the next episode was when the main characters will finally get together. Apparently Chanyeol wasn't familiar with romance dramas. The couple doesn't get together until the very final episode. The entire series is about their journey into falling in love. 

Chanyeol constantly cried out in frustration every time there was an obstacle in the relationship or a misunderstanding. At one point, he got so emotional that he got glassy eyed. Not like Chen had any room to tease him about it considering the first time he watched the show he too was a weeping mess at some points.

"He should have tried harder!" Chanyeol says in exasperation. 

At this point in the story, the dog hybrid man is being rejected by the young dog hybrid woman due to a misunderstanding. They both saw the other hanging out with other hybrids in a manner that could be seen as a date. However they were actually spending time with their siblings from out of town. Neither of them were unfaithful. 

"There isn't anything he can really do," Chen says, "She doesn't know about his sister and he doesn't know about her brother." Chen knew how the story ends, but watching Chanyeol see it for the first time brought a smile to his face. Most of his friends weren't as engaged with the show as Chanyeol was.

"Yeah there is," Chanyeol looked directly into Chen's eyes, "Say I love you."

Chen's breath hitches at the conviction in Chanyeol's caramel eyes. He knows the words weren't aimed at him, but for the briefest moment he fantasized about what it would be like to have the dog hybrid say such sweet words to him. 

If they were together.

"Well... I mean... uhm," Chen stutters to come up with a response. 

"If he had just said 'I love you' then the problem would be solved," Chanyeol says, "They started dating for only a week and never said those three words to each other yet. Saying them now would be perfect."

With nothing to say, Chen just hummed in response, placing his head back on Chanyeol's shoulder to avoid direct eye contact. 

"If it were me, I'd say it over and over. Every day, every night. Never wavering once."

Chen's heart raced at Chanyeol's words. He hoped the dim light of the television was enough to hide his blush. 

Would Chanyeol tell him that every day? 

"Well aren't you the romantic," Junmyeon snickered from the other side.

"Well it's true!" Chanyeol whines, "Molly said she wanted him to be the first to say it, so he should say it."

"She only said that in a private conversation with a friend. He doesn't know what she wants," Junmyeon says, ruffling the dog hybrid's fluffy hair. 

Chanyeol grumbles as the shows logic defeated him, quieting down after his outburst and ramble of frustration. 

Chen stays silent, eyes locked on the screen as the hybrid noona cries her eyes out at home. He already knows what happens at the end. Ken finally says I love you before Molly steps on a train home to Busan. But he considered the possibility of what would happen if Ken actually said it sooner. 

Molly and Ken probably would have talked things out and solidified their relationship sooner. She wouldn't of had to quit her job and he might have had time to introduce her to his adoptive family before they returned to Canada.

However, Ken has had difficulty saying things like 'I love you' due to complications growing up in a broken home. He escaped it and became the head of a major company later on in life, but he still kept his mental scars. After meeting and growing to like Molly, he slowly opens up to her until he eventually says those three special words. 

Then they spend the rest of their life together in the countryside raising three beautiful hybrid children. The perfect happy ending.

The three finally make it to the end. Chanyeol let's out a joyful cry as the main protagonists finally decide to get married. Junmyeon chuckles while Chen roles his eyes with a small smile. It should have been obvious from the very beginning they were going to get together. But again, this was Chanyeol's first holiday drama.

After the show, they continue to watch holiday broadcasts and game shows late into the night, snuggled up together for warmth. 

  
🐱🐶

  
Chen wakes up a few hours later, surrounded by darkness. Only the faint moonlight reflecting on the snow outside the glass door provided dim lighting, making the room somewhat visible.

Although, because of his cat DNA, Chen is able to see his surroundings perfectly.

Fluttering his eyelids, Chen shifts his head around, gazing around the room sleepily. He was lying down on the couch with a heavy blanket draped over him, likely placed there by Junmyeon. Actually, the blank felt a little too heavy, even for the thick ones they use to keep warm during the winter. But it was comfortable, the weight somehow comforting to the cat hybrid. 

Still feeling drowsy, Chen cranked his head to the side in search of his owner only to be shocked by his position. 

He now understood why the blanket felt so heavy. Because it wasn't a blanket at all.

Spooning him from behind was Chanyeol, one of his arms draped comfortably around Chen's waist. From his steady breaths, the dog hybrid was in a deep slumber, his ears twitching to the faintest of noises coming from outside.

Chen is frozen, completely dumbfounded by their position.

Because Chanyeol's arm was wrapped around his waist. A red zone.

But he wasn't panicking. 

Chen stayed in that position for what felt like hours, waiting for his inevitable panic attack to begin. Waiting for when he'll flip out on Chanyeol and avoid the dog hybrid like the plague. 

It never came.

Instead, Chen felt safe, secure in the dog hybrid's hold. Chanyeol's body was still producing warmth like a barrier, warding off the cold air of night. 

Chen's heart raced at this new development. He wondered if this meant that he was now physically comfortable with Chanyeol touching him. Would the dog hybrid no longer be wary about Chen's zones. Would the dog hybrid cuddle him day in and day out? 

Would Chanyeol try to advance their relationship. 

Chen's chest grew tight, familiar nerves pooling in his stomach. 

Though he may be comfortable with Chanyeol touching him affectionately, like a hug or a cuddle, what would happen if the touching became more romantic. He still has trouble getting over the fact he sunk his claws into Chanyeol's back, deep enough to leave scars. 

Gnawing on his bottom lip, Chen peeked over his should at Chanyeol. He was still fast asleep, unbothered by Chen's subtle movements. 

Chanyeol always looked so cute when sleeping. Even back when Chen still had a problem with the dog hybrid he couldn't deny it. Whenever he fell asleep composing music, or watching television, or on Chen's lap as he read a book, the malamute always looked precious with his youthful features. Chen's gaze traveled down Chanyeol's face, admiring the dog hybrid visage until they land on plump lips. Even in the dim lighting Chanyeol's lips looked soft and plump. 

He already knows what they feel like. Every alarm bell was ringing in his head not to go for it. But with his emotions running high, affection pooling in his gut while he gazed at the one hybrid who cared about him even after learning about his past, Chen needed it.

It was an absolutely terrible idea.

But Chen needed it. Just long enough to fantasize about what it would be like. 

What it would be like to be Chanyeol's mate.

Chen carefully shifts himself so he was on his back, being careful not to disturb the larger hybrid. The arm around his waist went loose, briefly panicking Chen until it readjusted back around his waist. The unconscious action actually drew Chen closer, making their faces more level. 

Warm puffs of air caress Chen's cheek, the contrast from the room temp making him shiver. Not strong enough to wake the other hybrid, but he could feel his blood pumping.

After a few more second of inspecting Chanyeol's face, Chen leans forward. His eyes constantly flicker between the dog hybrid's lips and eyelids. If Chanyeol work up Chen wouldn't know what he'd do.

Maybe apologize. Or maybe beg for it. Or maybe run straight through the glass door.

Their noses barely graze each other, lips only millimeters apart before Chanyeol suddenly flinches in his sleep. Chen goes tense, his eyes bulging at the dog hybrid. Had he been caught?

Moments later a deep groan radiated from Chanyeol's chest before the dog hybrid started to shift. His eyes remained closed so that meant he had to still be sleeping to some degree. 

The arm around Chen's waist is removed and the cat hybrid had to bite down on his lip so as to stifle a disappointed whimper. 

Ungracefully, Chanyeol turned away from Chen, now facing the back of the couch. It was a good thing their couch was large enough for the both of them, even with Chanyeol's long body.

When Chanyeol settles, Chen waits a few more seconds longer before releasing a breath he never knew he was holding till now. 

His inappropriate and stupid plan to steal a kiss from the sleeping hybrid of his dreams was foiled by destiny. Thank goodness. 

Destiny was a bitch most times. But not this one.

Though he missed the dog hybrid's embrace, it was important they head up to their bedrooms to sleep instead. The coach was comfortable, but lie on it too long and it's going to cause back problems. Junmyeon could attest to that.

Sitting up, Chen leaned over Chanyeol, placing a hand on Chanyeol's shoulder and shaking gently. His folded ears pick up a heavy groan from the dog hybrid seconds before there is movement. 

Chanyeol turns his head, eyelids low and lips smacking. Chen couldn't make out the dog hybrid's caramel eyes, looking black in the dim lighting. However, the heavy gaze feels even more effective, causing Chen to shudder. 

"Hm?" Chanyeol hums, tone laced with sleep.

"We should go to our beds," Chen says with a smile. He gently tugs at Chanyeol's shirt to coax him up off the couch. 

"Mmf," Chanyeol gives him an affirmative hum before rising, slowly moving to stand. 

Chen had to hold in a coo at the dog hybrid's behavior. After waking up, Chanyeol was always soft, the complete opposite to Chen's cranky. 

Seeing that Chanyeol was still wobbly and was having a difficult time keeping his eyes open, Chen decided to help him out. He reached up and placed his hands on the back of Chanyeol's broad shoulders, ignoring how the muscle was firm underneath his palms, and guided the sleepy dog hybrid upstairs. 

"Whatime issit?", Chanyeol slurred followed by a long yawn. 

"Probably past one in the morning," Chen replied, guiding Chanyeol into his room. "Junmyeon already went to bed." 

  
As soon as Chanyeol makes contact with the bed he immediately lies down, his limbs splayed out at weird angles, one of his arms was even hanging off the edge. Chen shook his head at the display, a smile tugging at his lips. He decides to help once again.

Chen didn't have to do it, but he knew Chanyeol would wake up feeling stiff and uncomfortable the next day if he slept like that. Gently, Chen shifted the dog hybrid around, moving his limps to his sides so he was laying down more comfortably. 

A long, satisfied sigh passes Chanyeol's lips, making Chen laugh under his breath. Chen felt like a nanny taking care of a child. Or maybe a manchild... dogchild? Hybridchild?

As Chen is thinking up analogies, he pulls the blanket over Chanyeol. He takes a seat on the bed, his ember eyes gazing at the dog hybrid fondly, watching how the blanket rises and falls with each steady breath. 

Chen's thoughts drifted to what happened earlier.

Chanyeol was touching him in a red zone. But instead of feeling the terror from his past, it felt comforting. It felt just like Junmyeon's touch, maybe even better. Chen took a deep breath, calming his excitement. 

As much as Chen wanted to waking up the next morning and jumping into Chanyeol's arms yelling 'You can touch me now!', there was still a possibility that any contact more than friendly might result in him attacking Chanyeol again.

Chen looks down at his hands, remembering how his talons extended, red coating the tips. The thought of that moment still made his stomach queasy. 

He had wanted Chanyeol so bad, at that moment he wasn't thinking about anything other than Chanyeol's lips on his. How could he have know his subconscious would lash out like that? 

If they try to kiss, would it happen again?

A small snore comes from the dog hybrid, catching Chen's attention. He glances back and sees Chanyeol's ear spasming. It's a tick that a lot of dog hybrids have where one of their ears twitched repeatedly. Chen has seen a ton of funny videos online of sleeping dog hybrid with twitchy ears, never failing to get a laugh out of him. And this moment wasn't any different. Chen bit his lip, holding it in so as not disturb Chanyeol's slumber. 

Getting a hold of himself, Chen leaned down closer to Chanyeol. There isn't any real way to stop the twitching other than time. However what Chen was about to do didn't relate to a solution.

Chen hovered over the ear and gave a small kitten lick to the back of it, the softness of Chanyeol's fur tickled his tongue. 

In hybrid language, licking an ear is something very special. Hybrids do it to show their interest for another, a romantic gesture. Although hybrids kiss like humans now a days, licking an ear still held the same weight. 

If Chen couldn't kiss Chanyeol on the lips, he'd settle for the next best thing.

To his surprise, the ear suddenly stopped twitching. For a second, Chen worried that the dog hybrid might have woken up. But after leaning over and inspecting his face, Chanyeol was still asleep, his breaths as even as before.

Growing more confident, Chen leaned in once again and brushed his lips along the soft ear. His chest grew warmer as he continues the intimate action, sometimes allowing the tip of his tongue to poke out and glide across the fur. At some point, his eyes closed, focusing on the softness against his lips.

Even if Chanyeol wasn't conscious, the act still caused Chen's heart to sore. 

He feels the dog hybrid shutter and Chen peeks over to see the other hybrid still snoozing, with a small smile across his lips. This had to be the most content Chanyeol has ever looked while sleep.

All because of Chen.

A soft kitten curl appears on Chen as he carefully gets up from the bed and leaves the room quietly. 

His chest was filled with a pleasant fuzzy sensation as he curled up in his bed and fell asleep. 

That night, Chen dreamt of sunny clear skies, blooming flowers, a laughing hybrid owner, and a red frisbee being chased down by a lovely dog hybrid. 

The perfect day.

  
🐱🐶

  
"Do I have to?" Chanyeol whined face down on the couch. 

"Yes Chanyeol," Junmyeon replied while he finished cleaning up the dishes, "It's important that you have a check-up every year."

Chen sat on the long side of the couch, trying to hold back a smile as he watched the dog hybrid whine some more. This was Chanyeol's first trip to the doctor since Junmyeon adopted him. Chanyeol had a brief check-up before Junmyeon took him home. Now it was time for the full routine, booster shots, bloodwork, temperature, etc.

Chen has had his own couple of check-ups in the past. Dr.Byun was nice. When he wasn't shoving thermometers up hybrid asses that is.

"Ok. I'm going to get my coat and we'll head out." Junmyeon turns to Chen, "You're going to be fine by yourself?"

"Pfft. Of course," Chen says, waving his hand dismissively. "I've been doing it for three years." 

Just because Chanyeol entered his life doesn't mean he can't handle being alone anymore. Besides, it's not like they were going to be gone for the rest of the day. Chen estimates two to three hours at most.

"You're not coming with us?" Chanyeol asks, turning his head over to look at Chen. His pretty caramel eyes were pleading.

"I can't. The clinic your going to is specialized only for dog hybrids. My presence would only agitate other patients," Chen explained. Though he also didn't want to be within the vicinity of too many stranger dog hybrids as well. 

The pout on Chanyeol grows and Chen snickered at his cuteness. He leaves his usual seat in favor of getting closer to Chanyeol, placing himself beside the whining dog hybrid. 

"You don't need to be scared." Chen reassures, running his fingers through Chanyeol's fluffy hair to both calm the other hybrid and satisfy his desire for fluff. "It's not going to hurt. I promise."

Chanyeol instinctively leans into the cat hybrid's touch, releasing a shaky breath. Chen can feel the tension in Chanyeol's body reseed as he pets him gently. Chanyeol's previous owners didn't taking him to the doctor, instilling a sense of fear into the dog hybrid over the unknown. 

Chen's previous owners did the same, however after going every year with Junmyeon, his fear slowly diminished. He still gets a little anxious, but it's more out of worry from what they might find instead of the actual procedures themselves.

"If you say so," Chanyeol sighs. 

Junmyeon eventually comes back with his coat and a beanie for his head. He and Chanyeol say a quick goodbye to Chen before leaving out the front door. 

Chen waves to them from the couch, a friendly smile on his face.

As soon as the front door closed, Chen dropped his smile. He ran to the window and peaked outside, his gaze was fixed on Chanyeol and Junmyeon getting into the car. Though he couldn't hear anything from this distance, he could see the dog hybrid still complaining about the trip all the while his owner was trying to comfort him verbally. 

Chen keeps his eyes locked on the car as it drives down the street, counting down the seconds until if finally makes a turn and disappears from his site.

Approximately two and a half hours to himself.

Immediately, Chen runs up the stares into Chanyeol's bedroom. He spots the object of his desire hanging on the back of a desk chair. 

A large gray hoodie.

Since Chanyeol's adoption, Chen has had almost zero time to himself. He has eventually gotten over it, learning to do most of his hobbies along side Chanyeol. But not everything he does can be within the presence of the dog hybrid.

Chen grabs the hoodie and shoves it into his face. He takes a deep inhale of Chanyeol's woodsy wild flower scent, going straight to his brain. Chanyeol had worn it yesterday while composing music. There wasn't a foul odor so he must have set it on the chair to wear it later. 

The point was that Chanyeol's musk was stuck to it until it right now.

Body now on autopilot, Chen takes the hoodie to his room, keeping it close to his nose. His pupils grew into large saucers, a sub vocal noise radiated from his chest.

Two and a half hours without Junmyeon and Chanyeol to disturb him.

Chen throws the hoodie onto his bed and begins undressing, only now registering his sweat. He released a pleased sigh as he removed his underwear. Slick had already begun to dampen the fabric. 

This wasn't his heat, Chen would know if it was. This was something he's done only a couple of times. Usually after being turned on or aroused by something or someone. 

Chanyeol was that someone. 

For months Chen has been tormented by the dog hybrid, from his excellent physique to his charming personality. He has been denying himself the pleasure of just giving in and indulging in Chanyeol's body. Mostly because he doesn't want to use the dog hybrid like that.

Chen made it specifically clear that he doesn't want Chanyeol to settle for someone like him. For someone so messed up. So broken.

And yet Chanyeol won't stop tempting him, either consciously or unconsciously. It was driving Chen to the point of madness.

Once Chen is complete stripped of all his clothing, he digs into his night stand and pulls out his heat device. It might not be that affective during his actually heats. But right now, as he's just the usual horny, it should be enough.

Chen reclines on his bed and pulls the gray hoodie over his chest. Chanyeol's scent immediately surrounds him, causing him to moan. His cock twitches to life and his hole contracts in anticipation. 

It's embarrassing, how quickly he's reduced to a horny mess. But he doesn't take the time to think about it.

Instead he thinks about Chanyeol. 

Chen brings the heat device up to his face and starts lapping at the tip. It's not anywhere near as close to the size of Chanyeol. However, with his eyes closed and the dog hybrid's musk assaulting his senses, it helped him fantasize. Chen thought about Chanyeol's large knot, swollen and ready to penetrate.

A rivulet of slick seeped out of him and he shuddered. Slowly, Chen reaches a hand down and teases his entrance, two elegant fingers gliding around the rim of muscle. 

Chen still remembers the stretch of Chanyeol cock inside him, filling him to the limit, satisfying the ache of emptiness caused by the delirium of his heat. Since that night he's constantly wanted to do it again. The rational side of his mind always held him back.

The two fingers are pushed in and Chen gasped. His cock twitched again, pulsating as it swelled with arousal. He threw his head back into the pillow as he fingered himself. 

He could only imagine what it would be like to have Chanyeol's large fingers inside him. 

Chen pushed the heat device deeper into his mouth and whined around it. He trembled when the tip sunk down his throat. The device wasn't particularly small, but with how wide Chen's mouth was, it might as well be. Having lost his gag reflex a long time ago, the cat hybrid had no trouble pushing the device as far as he could.

When Chen's fingers grazed his prostate, his entire body spasms like he was hit by electricity. 

He yanks the heat toy out of his mouth and wails into the ceiling, his voice reverberates against the walls. Chen always knew he was loud, especially during sex. It was mostly the reason why he couldn't touch himself while Junmyeon and Chanyeol were under the same roof as him.

No longer needing to be stretched further, Chen waists no more time and pushes the heat device inside. The pleasure comes immediately, crashing over Chen like a powerful wave. 

"Fuck!" He cries out, followed by airy whimpers and whines as he thrusts the toy inside repeatedly. Chen squeezed his eyes shut and knitted his eyebrows as broken moans spill from his mouth. His hips are instinctively lifting off the bed to get the heat device deeper.

Chen refocuses on Chanyeol's scent, using his other hand to pull the hoodie over his nose and mouth. The lovely smell sparks fire in his stomach, his pace increasing as he fucked himself on the heat toys.

Aside from his desperate cries of pleasure, Chen's sensitive ears pick up the wet sound of slick sloshing between his flesh and the hear toy. The lewd noises makes his cock kick with arousal against his stomach, the tip grazing the large hoodie draped over his chest.

Chen's thoughts traveled back to Chanyeol once again, wondering how he would behave in bed with him. How the dog hybrid would wears dominance. Would Chanyeol take his time, teasing Chen for hours until he finally cums? Or would he be quick and aggressive, chasing Chen's pleasure until he gives in to the onslaught quickly. 

That second, Chen remembers something he saw months ago. Back when Chanyeol live streamed on Instagram.

He remembers that heady look Chanyeol gave the camera when talking about his favorite guitar. 

When he looked so ... possessive.

'...I just had to have it.'

"A-argh!",Chen comes suddenly, spine arching of the bed and head tilted all the way back to wail into the head board. His stomach muscles contract as he came all over himself. An almost embarrassing amount of slick squirted out of him as he clamps down hard around the toy.

For a few moments Chen stays like that, tension reverberating through every fiber of his body before going lax on the bed. His body practically melts against the sheets, pleasurable tingles shoot through his muscles. 

Chen's eyes are still closed, the corners of his mouth tip up as he takes deep breaths. A small laugh passes his lips as he rides out the euphoria of post-orgasm. He let's go of the heat device and uses the hand to brush the hair away from his sweaty forehead. That had be one of the best orgasms he's ever had while taking care of himself. 

Pleased mewls radiated from his chest after he catches his breath. The heat toy is still inside him though not as deep, only kept there by the fluttering of his rim. He didn't want to pull it out just yet, still enjoying the delicious stretch. 

Chen takes this time to think. About nothing in particular. Just thinks he had to do. Like following up on a text message conversation with Jimin. Thinking about what to get Taemin for his birthday coming up. Wondering what to wear for BamBam's New Years party. Doing the laundry...

At that moment, Chen takes one look down and his eyes go wide in shock.

His spunk splattered all over the dog hybrid's hoodie, leaving a sticky stain.

Chen practically leaped off the bed, wincing when the toy slips out of him and slick streamed down his leg. He chucks the hoodie into his hamper and takes it along with the rest of his dirty clothes to the laundry room.

Junmyeon and Chanyeol would be back within the next hour. Meaning he only had about an hour to hide the evidence of what he had done. 

After setting the clothes to wash, Chen takes a quick but thorough shower to wash himself of his arousal. No doubt Chanyeol would smell it as soon as he enters the house. 

Chen puts on a fresh pair of clothing as soon as the washing machine beeps. Before he could tend to it, Chen takes one look at his bed and scrunched his nose in disgust. There is a large wet spot were his slick soaked into the sheets. He had to get rid of that as well or else Chanyeol would know what he had done just by passing his bedroom.

Chen ripped the sheets of and took them to the laundry room as well.

Almost every minute Chen was checking the time, constantly worrying about when Junmyeon and Chanyeol would get home. 

In the end, it took him about an hour and a half to get the sheets into the dryer. After taking the clothes out, he folded them neatly and placed them in the laundry basket, trying his best not to instinctively sit inside the warm cloths. Once done, he sat onto the machine, arms crossed and eyes concentrated on the faded wallpaper of the laundry room.

Aside from that little scare, his body felt better, more relaxed. There was less tension in his muscles, now replaced with a soothing ache. Like the pleasant sensation after a really good workout. At least Chen thinks this is how it would feel, he wasn't all that big on strenuous exercise. 

Chanyeol always invited Chen to exorcise with him. Obviously, Chen turned the dog hybrid down every time. But that was before he knew of Chanyeol's feelings towards him. Before Chen developed feelings for Chanyeol too.

Since then, Chanyeol doesn't asks anymore. 

But maybe one day... if Chen gets to see the dog hybrid in that sexy workout outfit, sweat drip down his...

The front door opens and Chen flinches. 

"We're home!" Junmyeon hollers from the living room, "We have salmon!"

Exersize can wait. 

🐱🐶

"Happy New Year!"

The entire room erupted into cheers and hollers as the clock struck twelve am. People shared kisses, clanked their glasses together, and exchanged tight hugs.

Junmyeon squeezed Chen tightly. "Happy new year sweetie." He gushed before pecking his cheeks and doing the same to Chanyeol. Then he turned to shake hands and engage with some of his friends. 

They were currently at Jinyoung's New Years party. Technically BamBam's party since he is the one who organized the entire event. That hybrid absolutely loved any excuse to throw a huge party and drink all night.

Chen shyly looked up at Chanyeol, who was eyeing him expectantly.

"Happy New Year," Chanyeol says while leaning down and planting a soft kiss along the back of Chen's ear. 

Heat rises to Chen's cheeks while he mutters, "You too." He gave Chanyeol's outfit another once over since arriving at the party. 

The dog hybrid was dressed in a black suit, matching undershirt, a long trench coat hanging off his shoulders. It was even further complimented by his jet black hair styled into a coma. He had a white and silver paisley bowtie that strangely matched the whites of his ears. 

And then their was the dog hybrid's striking caramel eyes, made even more prominent with subtle eyeliner, applied by Chen of course. 

Though he hated to admit it, Chen felt that Chanyeol had him completely out dressed. 

The cat hybrid had a similar outfit, minus the trench coat. His bowtie was a silky blood orange to go with his eyes. His gray hair curly and charcoal lined his eyes, with the addition of orange eyeshadow. 

Them wearing similar attire was Junmyeon's idea of course. It's quite common for hybrid owners to style their hybrids to look like pairs. It was seen as cute and trendy.

They certainly looked like a 'pair'. In fact upon their arrival, Chen noticed the glint in BamBam's eyes and he had to quickly swat at the mischievous young cat hybrid to keep his mouth shut.

The party had been quite fun so far, with Chen and Chanyeol hanging out with all of the hybrids on the block and a couple of celebrities as well. 

Chen had the pleasure of seeing the wonderful Kim Seokjin, a new actor and one of Chen's celebrity crushes. Junmyeon had introduced them and Chen nearly squealed when the man smiled and petted his head. He might not wash his hair ever again.

Seokjin also brought his dog hybrid along, a hyperactive beagle hybrid named J-hope. He seemed to get along quite well with V and Jungkook. 

There was also a young entrepreneur from China named Yifan who Junmyeon was best friends with back in college. He had two very unique reptile hybrids named Luhan and Tao. Reptile hybrids are extremely rare, most people prefer mammal based hybrids due to their cuddling factor. Aside from their captivating yellow reptilian eyes, Luhan and Tao looked almost completely human. It was cute how their tongues would come out to taste the air every few minutes. 

Chen and Chanyeol left their friends in favor of staying by Junmyeon's side till New Year's struck. After wishing his hybrids a wonderful New Year, he disappeared into the crowd of people to do the same to his human friends. 

Chen takes a glance out the window and notices the fire works display out in the distance.

"Come with me," Chen says, taking the dog hybrid by the hand and leading him outside through the glass door. Chanyeol provides zero resistances, smiling wide as he follows the cat hybrid. 

The backyard is fairly quieter with a few people hanging out around the pool and mingling. Chen takes Chanyeol beyond the pool side and deeper into the yard. None of them saying a word to each other.

Jinyoung's home is located by a large lake. Right across is the city, lit up in a lovely array of colorful lights. Chen doesn't remember which side of town it was but at the moment it didn't matter. All he focused on at the moment was the fire works show going on atop the mountains. 

Chen takes Chanyeol over to a wooded bench just big enough for two people located a few meters away from the lake shore. This location was perfect to watch the fireworks display. It was just far enough so the loud cracks won't hurt their sensitive ears.

"This is amazing!" Chanyeol says in awe.

"Is this your first time seeing fireworks?" Chen asks, noting how the dog hybrid's eyes were practically sparkling. 

"Kind of... In my previous home I didn't have a good view, but I could hear them. I begged my previous owners to take me to see them one day but..."

Chanyeol trails off and Chen tenses when he sees Chanyeol's eyes go dull. He scrambles to change the subject and lighten the mood. 

"What do you think of it so far then?" Chen chirps, leaning his head against Chanyeol's shoulder. He didn't want the dog hybrid to think about the past.

Chanyeol looks at Chen warmly before leaning down to sniff the cat hybrid's scent. The action makes Chen blush but is relieved when his familiar scent is successful in relaxing the other hybrid. 

"It's amazing. Thanks for taking me out here." Chanyeol says, his warm caramel gaze on Chen.

Heat growing in his cheeks, Chen mumbled a quiet "don't mention it" before turning his attention back to the colorful light display. 

They stay like this for about five minutes, Chen leaning his head on Chanyeol's shoulder. Even when the display ends, they continue to sit quietly, observing the city lights across the lake. A comfortable silence falls between them, nothing but the muffled sounds of people partying inside and waves touching the sore.

Chen has spent a long time thinking about his relationship with Chanyeol. Ever since discovering that he no longer has a sensitivity to the dog hybrid's touch, it's become all he ever thinks about. It's clear Chanyeol still has feelings for him. 

They haven't talked about the incident since their time at the beach. The incident where Chen wounded Chanyeol. 

Though Chen doesn't see the dog hybrid without a shirt often, the very few times he does, he always peeks over to see the healed scar tissue. It's faded over the months but they are still noticeable, a constant reminder to Chen that their relationship can't bloom.

All because he's still fucked up.

There is a gust of wind and Chen finally realizes how cold it's gotten since they came out. His fancy suit wasn't doing much to protect him.

"You cold?" Chanyeol asks when Chen shivers next to him.

"Yeah, just a bit," Chen laughed, his voice quivering as well. He didn't think the temperature would drop so suddenly. Perhaps it was their proximity to the lake.

Chanyeol eyes the cat hybrid before making a move to pull away his trench coat. 

"I'm okay." Chen protests, but when the trench coat is around his shoulders, he practically melts into the warmth.

"I'll be fine. My species is practically built for this kind of weather," Chanyeol says, his fluffy ears perking up. "You'll need this more than I do."

At that, Chen doesn't fuss. Instead he pulls the large trench coat closer around him and shyly averts his gaze from the dog hybrid. The coat was already two sizes too big on Chanyeol so naturally Chen was practically drowning in it. Chanyeol's warmth still lingered in the fabric, further comforting Chen.

It's hard trying not to fall in love with Chanyeol. 

Really hard.

When Chen was about to say his thanks, an object rushed past them and landed in the lake. Chen reflexively jumped in his seat, hands gripping Chanyeol's side. The dog hybrid, startled as well, wrapped a protective arm around Chen's shoulder. 

The object was a soccer ball, classic black and white patterned. It was bobbing in the water like some kind of oversized fishing lure, slowly moving further away across the shore.

Chen and Chanyeol blink at it with wide confused eyes before they hear a commotion behind them.

"BamBam that was our last soccer ball!" Jackson cried, kneeling in the grass in defeat. V and Jungkook looked equally disappointed. 

"Isss fine my mans," BamBam slurs. He had his tie wrapped around his head and one of his pant legs was rolled up. "Wheel just get another ones."

At this point, Chen and Chanyeol are standing at the edge of the yard, watching the aftermath of a failed soccer game. It looked to be a two on two battle. V and Jungkook vs Jackson and BamBam with Jimin as the referee. Luhan and Tao were sitting off to the side, trying to hide their giggles, but the reptilian noises they made gave them away.

The younger cat hybrid is clearly drunk, his posture wobbles as he walks the backyard. Jimin is at his side, trying to prevent him from falling over. The whole scene is almost comical.

"That was our 'another ones'." Jackson says before running a hand through his blonde hair, looking very frustrated at BamBam.

"It's not me faults." BamBam says, "The ball keep moving when I kick." 

BamBam pouts while trying to provide excuses for his actions. He even turns to Chanyeol, who hasn't been watching the game, and tells him to confirm the ball 'had a mind of it's own'.

Chanyeol puts his hands up in defense, smiling sheepishly before agreeing with the drunk cat hybrid. Then BamBam turns to the group of hybrids and yells a "See! I told yall!" At that, Chen fails to stifle his laughter. 

This nonsense of BamBam trying to convince them of soccer ball sentience goes on for another minute. It ends with Jackson and V practically dragging BamBam inside after announcing he was about to dive into the lake and get the soccer ball back. That would obviously be suicide considering the cold weather and BamBam shitty swimming skills. 

"Is he going to be ok?" Chanyeol asked as they watched the dog hybrids literally drag BamBam back into the house. 

"Yeah," Chen snickered, "Jackson is going to take him upstairs and have him chill in the shower for a bit so he sobers up."

"Does that actually work?" Chanyeol asks, drooping an ear down in curiosity. 

"Pfft. It's worked for the last hundred times that idiot got wasted." Chen shakes his head in exasperation, a small smile on his lips as he remembers all the times BamBam has drank himself stupid. There was a lot of fun, mischief, and Jinyoung being furious with them.

Junmyeon suddenly appeared in the glass doorway, looking around the yard until he finally spots his hybrids. 

"Ah, there you two are!" Junmyeon calls out, "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Chen and Chanyeol both cutely crank their heads to the side in curiosity, leading the hybrid owner to coo at them. 

"Come over here," Junmyeon says, gesturing with a hand for them to come back inside, "There is someone here I would like you to meet."

Chanyeol spares a glance at Chen and the cat hybrid shrugs. Perhaps it was one of Junmyeon's friends from work? Or maybe it's another celebrity he knows they will be excited about meeting? Who could it be?

They get inside and immediately spot Junmyeon standing next to someone new.

It's a tall man, almost as tall as Chanyeol, with a very handsome face. He has on a black turtleneck with a matching suit. His jet black hair is styled back to expose his forehead. Chen doesn't recognize the man from any dramas or movies he has watched. 

"This is Mr.Oh Sehun. He's a new actor I met recently." Junmyeon says to them before turning to the man. "These are my hybrids Chen and Chanyeol."

"Hello," Chen says shaking the man's hand and bowing his head politely. Chanyeol hums his regards and does the same. 

"It's nice to finally meet you," Sehun says, the corners of his lips tugging up slightly. The man had a stare that appeared intimidating at first. But as Chen kept observing the man, his expression appeared warmer, almost kind. He must be stoic on a daily basis. 

"Finally meet us?" Chanyeol asks, glancing at Junmyeon with a questioning look. Chen looked at his owner as well, quizzical glint in his eyes.

"Well, we talk and I mention you guys a couple of times." Junmyeon says, a red hue touches his cheeks and he takes on a shy posture. 

Junmyeon looked dashing with his all white suit and silver tie, brown hair swooped back like a royal prince. He seemed to carry the completely opposite energy of Sehun. It was as if Junmyeon was the sun and Sehun was the moon.

"I head you guys didn't like camping?" Sehun asks, the subtlest hint of a laugh in his tone.

Chen blushed and avoided eye contact while Chanyeol sputters to come up with a reply. They all agreed not to talk about their failed backyard woods adventure. 

"It was a bust." Junmyeon laughs," Since you made it sound fun, I thought I'd try it with them. But you already know what happened."

Chen's ears twitched upon realizing that this was the "coworker" who suggested to Junmyeon that they try camping. Now Chen has a bone to pick with this man, meaning he will now mentally shake his fist at him and never let him pet his head. Not unless Junmyeon prompts him too. 

  
"It's not for everyone," Sehun reassures while looking at Junmyeon, the corners of his lips turn up even higher, now display an obvious smile.

Chen can't quite put his finger on it, but there is something in the way Junmyeon and Sehun look at each other, their body language too. It has Chen suspecting that there is a little something more going on between them. Maybe he can consult with Chanyeol later, see what he thinks. Dog hybrids are more receptive to these kinds of things.

"My own dog hybrid doesn't like camping all that much either." Sehun says before turning his head behind him. "It's that right Kai?"

Almost as if summoned out of thin air, a dog hybrid peers out from behind Sehun. It catches Chen so off guard that he actually flinches towards Chanyeol's side.

The dog hybrid know as Kai is a husky, a breed typically joyful in demeanor. They are friendly, exuberant, and have a striking appearance. Much like Chanyeol's breed.

Kai was definitely striking. He had silky chestnut hair styled into a mullet. His brown ears were almost as fluffy as Chanyeol's, white lining the insides as well. Judging by his breed, Kai must not possess a big fluffy tail like Chanyeol. He had on a similar turtleneck and suit like Sehun's, but there was something about the way he wore it that made the outfit look more sensual. Perhaps it was his narrow waist and long legs. 

Kai had a gorgeous face, a strong but soft jawline, plump lips, and lovely sky blue eyes.

"Hm," Kai hummed in confirmation to his owner. His blue eyes glancing back and forth between Chen and Chanyeol. 

Heat starts to grow in Chen's chest the more he observed the new dog hybrid. Sehun properly introduces Kai to Junmyeon and he shakes the husky's hand, it's clear that he has heard a lot about Kai as well.

"This is Chen and Chanyeol," Junmyeon reintroduced them and Chen's back straightens up. A sudden wave of bashfulness overcomes him as Kai locks eyes with him. His stare was intense, but also beautiful. 

He raises his arm to shake hands but Chanyeol beats him to it. Chanyeol takes Kai's hand quickly, surprising Chen.

How enthusiastic was he?

"It's nice to meet you," Chanyeol says with a smile, however Chen immediately notices something off about Chanyeol's voice. It sounded tense, not too obvious for other people to notice aside from Chen.

"You too," Kai replies. The dog hybrids join hands and hold eye contact for a little too long in Chen's opinion. There is a tension between them, the air heavy with something unknown. It didn't feel hostile, at least not to Chen. He isn't entirely familiar with dog hybrid behaviors.

Something was happening beyond Chen's cat hybrid comprehension. 

Their hands separate and Chen could have sworn he saw their fingers linger. The tension in the air disappears, leaving Chen confused and little freaked out. He needs to ask Chanyeol about this later.

Kai turns his gaze back to Chen and hold out his hand, blue eyes almost as mesmerizing as Chanyeol's caramel ones. Was this because they were similar in breed? 

Did Chen have a type or something?

Before he goes down the mental rabbit hole that is his preferences in dog hybrids, Chen takes Kai's hand and mumbles a shy 'hello'. Kai's hands are long and elegant, fitting his physique and demeanor perfectly.

It's strange, Chen would of thought Kai and Chanyeol would be acting like a hyperactive duo by now, talking non stop about their interests in excitement. It's how Chanyeol acted with V, Jungkook, and Jackson. So what made Kai so different?

As Junmyeon and Sehun continued to talk about work related things, the three hybrids stood in an awkward silence. 

Kai was still at Sehun's side, almost close enough to be his shadow. Every once and a while his blue gaze would leave Sehun and land on one of the two hybrids, with Chen's breath hitching when it was him. 

Chen steals a glance up at Chanyeol and is shocked to see Chanyeol staring the other dog hybrid down. His gaze isn't intense, it's more of a poker face. But it wasn't wavering for a moment. What was going on with him?

Feeling flushed by Chanyeol's weird and possibly rude behavior, Chen nudged Chanyeol's side with his elbow. Said dog hybrid flinches and looks down at Chen with a baffled expression, as if he didn't understand why Chen did that.

Chen narrowed his eyes and pouted at Chanyeol as a way to convey a wordless signal of 'stop that' before turning his head and looking out the glass window. His mood had turned sour for some reason.

Eventually it's time to go. The sun was about to rise in a few hours. 

For the rest of the night, Chen notices how Chanyeol stays quiet, like he's in some kind of daze. His strange behavior persists all the way home in fact. On the car ride home, Junmyeon poked fun at Chanyeol for missing one of his questions about the party. He dismissed it as the dog hybrid being tired, but Chen felt something else was wrong.

"Are you ok?" Chen asks when they entered the house. "You seem spaced out.”

Chanyeol blinks at Chen before shaking his head. The haze seems to lift from Chanyeol's demeanor for a moment when he smiles at Chen warmly, eyelids hooding his pretty caramel eyes.

"I'm fine. Just tired," Chanyeol says right as the end of his sentence is consumed by a yawn. He stretches his arms above his head and heads up to his room. "Goodnight."

"Night night," Junmyeon says while pouring a glass of water. He would sometimes make tea before bed to help him sleep. But Chen could tell by the way his owner's eyes were drooping that the man was about to pass out at any moment.

"So," Chen begins, having a seat at one of the chairs, right in front of the counter Junmyeon was standing and sipping his glass. "You and Mr.Oh seem pretty close."

Junmyeon hums while drinking. Once finished he smiles at Chen, "We're just friends."

"Uh huh," Chen replied with an expression and tone displaying he wasn't convinced in the slightest. 

"It's true!," Junmyeon whines, cheeks turning rosy, "We have been working together for a few months on this new show and we have a lot of chemistry."

"Uh huh," Chen repeated, a mischievous cheshire grin crossing his face. 

"That's enough," Junmyeon says, waving his hand as if telling Chen to shoo. "Go to bed."

"Yes Mr.Oh," Chen replies, his intent obvious, right before dashing upstairs. He snickers as he hears his embarrassed master shout at him from below.

🐱🐶

Around an hour later after Chen falls asleep he wakes up. His mouth feels parched, lips dry when he licks them. He looks over at the clock to see that it's almost five am. The sun was about to rise soon. 

It was a good thing he didn't have anything to do tomorrow, like having a job or going to school like a human would. Being a hybrid definitely had it's perks.

Chen got up from bed and walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water. He should have gotten it while he was here earlier with Junmyeon. But after inciting his owner's fury he hadn't thought about it.

On his way back to his room after hydrating, Chen hears movement in Chanyeol's room. It could be the dog hybrid just shifting in bed. However he glances down and notices a faint light emanating from the bottom of the door.

Perplexed, he knocks softly on the door, not loud enough to wake Chanyeol from sleep. Just loud enough to have the dog hybrid's sensitive hearing pick it up if he was awake.

"Come in," Chanyeol says from the other side. Chen opens the door and peeks in shyly. 

Chanyeol is sitting up on his bed, a bunch of notebooks open in front of him. Chen assumed they were all related to Chanyeol's song writing. But what was he doing up so late? Wasn't he tired?

The dog hybrid looks up from his work and tilts his head at Chen, a soft smile on his lips. 

"Why are you still up?" Chanyeol asks, turning back to his notes but keeping his smile.

"I could ask you the same thing," Chen shoots back with a pout. He walks over to the dog hybrid and sits beside him.

Chanyeol was wearing a white tank top and checked gray pajama pants. Chen forced himself not to linger to long on Chanyeol's strong arms. 

Hair fell into Chanyeol's caramel eyes. He would need to cut it soon Chen thought to himself. Although, Chen liked Chanyeol with shaggy hair like this, unkempt and wild.

When Chen takes a seat beside him, Chanyeol doesn't look up from his notes. He instead shifts to provide Chen with more room. 

"Still writing lyrics for Growl?" Chen asks, desperately hoping that wasn't the case. He's had enough of that damned song, at least for a couple of months, or maybe years.

"No," Chanyeol laughs, "I finished that about a week ago." He pulls another notebook closer. "I'm working on something new."

Out of curiosity, Chen peeks over to see the lyrics for this new song. It was in a new notebook, one he hadn't seen before since observing Chanyeol's lyrical process. 

Was it that important he stay up past five am to work on it?

Nothing hurts more

Than not caring

Time like black and white

Knowing nothing about the future

I've been wondering

And waiting for you

In completely filled

Dream with you in it

  
Chen's breath hitches, hands gripping the bedsheets tightly. The lyrics were not as primal as Growl. And yet...

They made Chen's heart pound against his chest. 

"Why can't you write tomorrow?" Chen asks, mouth suddenly feeling dry again. "Aren't you tired?"

"I am but..." Chanyeol begins, his voice light. "I had this burst of inspiration and just had to writing it down. I might forget it tomorrow.”

His eyes trail up Chanyeol's profile, observing how the dog hybrid gazed fondly down at the notebook. 

It was the same look he would give Chen. 'The Look.'

A sudden thought of the dog hybrid from the party crossed Chen's mind and his stomach starts doing flips. Chanyeol has been acting weird ever since they met Kai. The husky was beautiful for sure, Chen could barely take his eyes off of him. However, he wasn't letting Kai disturb his sleep... maybe when he's having one of 'those' nights.

But Chanyeol looked way more affected. Was this a dog hybrid thing?

Was he currently Chanyeol's inspiration?

Feeling flushed, Chen's gaze moves away from Chanyeol face to instead land on his shoulder. From this angle, Chen had a good view of Chanyeol's scars. The tissue has healed nicely, no longer swollen. Instead, there is slight discoloration, red claw marks that will likely fade in a few more months.

They have been a constantly reminder to Chen. Reminding him of what he can't have.

Absentmindedly, Chen leans forward and places his lips softly on the scars. It's subtle, but he can faintly detect the difference in texture between Chanyeol normal skin and scar tissue. The dog hybrid flinches but doesn't pull away, allowing Chen to do as he pleases.

Chanyeol being with Kai would be ideal. It would mean Chanyeol has finally moved on. Kai appeared to be sweet, a little on the shy side. Chen could see them having a lot of chemistry. 

If Chanyeol chose Kai over him, he wouldn't be upset. 

He wouldn't. 

Getting lost in his feelings, Chen closes his eyes and begins planting delicate kisses along the scars, his lips barely touching the surface. The more he does it, the more emotional he becomes. 

Chen wanted Chanyeol to completely forget it ever happened. He wants them to return to the time before Chanyeol's confession. It was Chen’s fault for pressuring him in the first place.

If he had let things go as they were, acting completely unaware of Chanyeol's feelings, none of that would have happened. Maybe Chanyeol would find someone else.

Someone who isn't broken...

But what if Chen didn't want that?

At the sound of Chanyeol's breath hitching, Chen opens his eyes and is greeted by the heaviest look he had even seen from the dog hybrid. It's so intense that he literally gasps in shock, pulling away immediately. 

Chanyeol eyes are half lidded, pupils blown out to almost completely obscure his caramel irises. His mouth is slightly parted, uneven breaths passing through them. 

Feeling uneasy, Chen moves to get up but is caught of guard when Chanyeol suddenly grabbed his arm. His grip is firm, holding Chen in place without hurting him. 

"Chanyeol." Chen says, the quietness of his own voice startles him. 

Chanyeol's gaze darted around Chen's face, his heavy expression looking more uncertain. There is conflict in Chanyeol's eyes that sends guilt into Chen's stomach.

Of course Chanyeol is upset, Chen thinks to himself. Chen's mixed signal must be frustrating.

Biting his lip, Chen dropped his head. A wave of shame crashes over him. 

Here he was again, toying with Chanyeol's feelings.

"I'm sorry," Chen murmurs, he stares down at the hand clutching his arm, observing the faint veins on the back of Chanyeol's hand. Chen bites his lip, a fang peeking out as he feels like he wants to disappear.

Chanyeol takes a deep shaky breath before mumbling, "It's fine." The dog hybrid tightens his grip before releasing entirely, letting the cat hybrid go free.

Chen isn't afraid of what could of happened. In fact maybe he would have deserved it...

No that isn't right.

Neither of them would have wanted that. Their relationship would have been completely destroyed. 

Now freed and feeling ashamed of himself, Chen gets up from the bed and whispered a quiet good night before leaving the room. He avoids Chanyeol's gaze the entire time.

All Chen hears before leaving is the dog hybrid hum before shuffling his notebooks around, probably putting them away before he goes to sleep.

Chen lies down in his bed, mouth dry once again. 

He was too upset to go back down to the kitchen.

🐱🐶

Chen probably got just three hours of sleep, the sun was high above the sky, shining light into his room.

He felt groggy, but his stomach was having an attitude this morning. There was some delicious left over fish from the other day that was calling his name.

Chen entered the empty kitchen, taking food out of the fridge and warming it up. He felt strange being alone here in the morning.

On a day like this, Chanyeol would be up early preparing breakfast for Chen and Junmyeon. However, since they came back so late, the dog hybrid was likely still asleep. His early bird abilities were no longer in affect.

As the food warmed up, Chen decided to go back to his room and take a quick shower. The food was on a timer so there wasn't any risk of it burning. Also, a shower would help wake him up properly. 

Chen was heading back upstairs when his sensitive ears pick up a peculiar noises coming from down the hall. It was like a strained voice, like in labor or exhaustion.

It takes him a second to realize it's coming from Chanyeol's bedroom.

A pool of unease settles in Chen's gut as he moves swiftly to the dog hybrid's bedroom. He feared that Chanyeol may have gotten sick again or perhaps hurt himself on something. His imagination ran wild as he quickly approached Chanyeol's room, the concerning noises getting louder.

Chen doesn't even bother knocking, barging into the room unannounced. 

"Chanye-"

What Chen barges in on has him nearly choking on his spit. His ember eyes wide and mouth agape as he stares in complete shock.

Chanyeol his hunched over his bed on all fours, hips snapping wildly into the rut device. The noises Chen confused for distress were actually animalistic groans and grunts. Chanyeol was initially facing away from the door, but as soon as the dog hybrid was aware of Chen's presence he snapped his head back to face him. 

Chanyeol's usual sweet caramel eyes were dark, pupils dilated and wild with lust. They stared right at Chen, turning more intense by the second.

Fuck.

Chen couldn't look away, frozen like a dear in the headlights. His heart beat loud in his ears as his own instincts were screaming at him to run, to take cover, to be smaller.

To submit. 

It's only when Chanyeol bares his teeth and let's out a ferocious snarl that Chen is finally unfrozen. He yelps and dashes out of the room, nearly tripping on the carpet on the way out. 

Chen slams his bedroom door closed and braces himself against it. His heartbeat jackrabbits against his chest, his breathing fast and erratic as he tried to get more air into his lungs. 

His skin tingled and his stomach was doing flips. What he just saw was going to be burned into his memory for a very long time. 

Chanyeol is in rut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Dun Dun Duuuuuuuun!'
> 
> How will Chen and Chanyeol get through this? Will Chen get through this unscathed? Will Chanyeol get through this unscathed? Will Junmyeon ever know what's going on? Is BamBam a hot mess? Is Kai my ultimate bias wrecker?? Am I a clueless man who has never gotten drunk before???
> 
> All answers will be revealed next time on "Folded Love Z!"
> 
> Also, yes Chanyeol was writing the lyrics to 'Yours'. It's such a sweet song.
> 
> Thanks for reading. I'll put the next chapter out as soon as I can!
> 
> ~Renard


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guy!
> 
> I finally completed the fifth chapter of my little hybrid story (Well I guess I can't call it little with how freaking huge the chapters got lol. Still not used to it)
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoy it!
> 
> ~Renard

Chen slowly chewed the left over fish from yesterday, eyes staring into the sunny backyard. The snow had melted a few days ago before New Years. But he could tell it was only a matter of time before the snow returns. 

Early sunlight seeps through the tree leaves, creating vibrant patterns along the dewy grass. Chen stared almost unblinkingly at it, his mind in utter turmoil. 

About thirty minutes ago, he stumbled on Chanyeol fucking the life out his rut device. 

The image still haunted Chen. In fact the more he thought about the more details he recalled. Even though the encounter couldn't have lasted more than eight seconds.

Chanyeol hunched over, the veins on his arms protruding as he gripped the rut toy, hips snapping with powerful force. Then there was that ferocious stare that held Chen in place, making him feel like helpless pray.

The sensation of unease never left, even after taking a shower to calm his nerves, or filling his stomach with sustenance. Chen took a few sips of water, quenching his thirst but failing to relieve his unsettled nerves. His fingers glided along the side of the glass, collecting the little droplets of moisture. 

He didn't feel scared. Nervous for sure, but not scared.

The idea of a dog hybrid going into rut within his vicinity did terrify him at one time. 

In his previous home, it would make him shut down, just lie down and stop moving, trying not to feel or think about anything. Just pretend that nothing was real...

However, Chen seeing Chanyeol in rut did not send him into the same state as before. Much to his own surprise. It made him curious. A little spooked but still curious about Chanyeol's affect on him.

There are footsteps from the stairs and Chen shoots up from his chair in alarm. His heartrate increased as he considered the possibility of Chanyeol coming downstairs. He is stuck between standing his ground and running into the downstairs bathroom to hide. Had he been the same cat hybrid four years ago, skittish and scared to death of dog hybrids, he would have locked himself in that bathroom for hours.

Chen was a lot better now. He still had his moments of uncertainty here and there, but still better. 

On top of that, this isn't some random dog hybrid. This is Chanyeol, the dog hybrid who adores him, is always receptive to his needs, never crosses boundaries. 

Chanyeol, the dog hybrid he has grown to love. 

He had nothing to fear.

When it turns out to be Junmyeon walking down the stairs, the coil of nervousness untangled in Chen's gut and the tension in his shoulders is released. 

"Good morning," Chen greets his owner with a sigh of relief, sitting back in his chair.

"Morning," Junmyeon's replies, eyeing the cat hybrid suspiciously after noticing his strange behavior. "Something happen?"

"Uh well," Chen says shyly. Heat rises to his cheeks as he begins to explain what happened. "I heard Chanyeol making weird noises this morning and... thought he was sick again but he's..." Chen nervously licks his lips, "He's in rut."

"Oh, I see," Junmyeon says, his cheeks turning red as well. Without another word, Junmyeon walks over to fridge and pulls out a small salad he prepared yesterday and a couple of eggs. 

Strangely, watching his owner prepare brunch was calming to Chen. Junmyeon doesn't spend a lot of time using the kitchen, always grabbing a quick bite of what Chanyeol was making before rushing away to work. Little moments like this made Chen crack the faintest of kitten smiles.

"You're not scared, are you?" Junmyeon asks after setting the eggs to cook and turning to the car hybrid, his eyebrows are pinched in concern.

Chen bites his lip and shrugs his shoulders. "I don't think so." He replied honestly. He was feeling some type of way but he didn't know how to explain it without concerning his owner.

Actually, now that Chen thought about it, there were a lot of things he hasn't told Junmyeon about. There was the fact Chen used Chanyeol for his heat. Then there was Chen's complicated relationship Chanyeol. And then of course there was Chanyeol's shoulder scars. 

At the time of creating these little secrets, Chen believed he could hide them easily, let them all blow over and be forgotten with time. 

However, all it took was for Junmyeon to give him an order and Chen would spill his guts out about everything. 

Junmyeon once told Chen a long time ago to come to him if anything was bothering him. And for a short while it worked, Chen was open with Junmyeon about everything. 

However, somethings he discussed with Junmyeon would be painful. The pain in Junmyeon's eyes was hard for Chen to see, especially knowing he caused it. That's why he holds back from telling Junmyeon things from time to time. Only telling his owner more important things, the 'need to know' things.

Well, things Chen deems to be 'need to know' that is.

Currently, Chen doesn't see the need to inform Junmyeon about his complicated relationship with Chanyeol. Not unless something goes seriously wrong.

Chen desperately hopes that doesn't happen. 

"I'm going up to check on him," Junmyeon says halfway through eating his breakfast. He must be growing concerned over Chanyeol's absence. 

Chen grew a little worried as well. It was almost one in the afternoon and the dog hybrid still hasn't come down yet. Chen would have been the one to go up and check on him. But he was anxious for obvious reasons. 

Junmyeon heads back upstairs while Chen stays at the table, reaching over and stealing bites of Junmyeon's food. As his owner's familiar scent left the room, the smell of eggs takes it's place, causing Chen to scrunch his face. They weren't burnt, but the scent was powerful to Chen's sensitive nose.

Chen lights a few scented candles, sighing when the strong egg smell is replaced with cherry blossoms and honey. Then he takes to cleaning the kitchen, wiping down the counters, cleaning a couple of dishes, etc..

Anything to take his mind away from Chanyeol in rut.

After a few minutes Junmyeon comes back downstairs, a bright smile on his face. Chen runs up to him, anxiety returning to his stomach once again.

"Is he alright?" Chen asks, squeezing the wash rag in his hands. He hated how desperate his voice sounds. 

"He's fine." Junmyeon replied before raising a hand to affectionately stroke the cat hybrid's head. "The first wave of his rut just passed."

Chen tilts his head into Junmyeon's hand to give him better access, purring from his chest as his owner's gentle fingers caress him. A pleased mewl escapes his lips when Junmyeon pets along the soft edge of his folded ears. Chen relaxes almost completely, eyes fluttering closed and leaning his head against Junmyeon's shoulder. 

The calming magic of a hybrid owner.

"He's taking a shower right now." Junmyeon says, "I'm going to prepare breakfast for him and head out to the grocery store. He's going to need a lot of food."

Chen instinctively squirms at the thought of being left alone with Chanyeol. He knows nothing bad will happen. At least he hopes not. Chen wouldn't mind going with his owner. However, he remembers Chanyeol's home alone phobia and holds back his offer of assistance. 

Junmyeon and Chen prepare a spread of food together. They cook up spicy stewed fish, galbi, stir-fried vegetables, oil naengguk, and a large plate of kimchi. Chanyeol's favorite dishes in the morning, aside from the usual oatmeal and pancakes.

After setting up the table, Junmyeon heads out to the market, promising to be back as soon as possible. He would only take about an hour or two. On most days, Junmyeon uses a delivery service to get his groceries. But they weren't operational on New Year's day. 

Junmyeon gave one final rub behind the cat hybrid's ear before waving goodbye. 

Thus leaving Chen alone with Chanyeol like so many times before.

  
🐱🐶

  
Though the winter holiday season has technically passed, channels were still broadcasting Christmas/winter movies and dramas.

There is one Chen was watching were Santa Claus loses his slay and he needs to find it with the help of a young boy and his little sister. It's strange because at the beginning of the movie, it looked as if they would be going to the North Pole. Instead they are walking though LA in the middle of the night, encountering all sorts of characters and hijinks. Admittedly, Chen wasn't really paying attention. 

He was more focused on the smell of the food he prepared with Junmyeon, especially the kimchi. Chanyeol should come down before the food gets cold. Or when Chen snaps and decides to dig in. He tended to get really hungry under stress.

Almost as if on queue, Chen hears heavy footsteps coming from the stairs. He stiffens on the couch, sitting up straight from his previous lounging position. His eyes are still glued to the TV. From his position Chen can't see the staircase but he senses Chanyeol's strong presence. 

Chanyeol's scent is powerful, flooding Chen's nasal cavity with pine, wildflower nectar, and a hint of lavender bath soap. Chen bit his bottom lip and turns his head just in time to see the dog hybrid enter the kitchen. 

Now it's been a few years since Chen has seen a dog hybrid in rut. He still remembers the obvious tells and symptoms. 

Aside from the strong scent, Chanyeol's muscles appear stiff, his stride lumbering as he walks over to the fridge. His hair and ears are messy from being towel dried, bangs falling into his dilated eyes. The veins in his arms protruded as he held a glass of water to drink, looking as if he were about to shatter the glass. He's wearing his usual home attire, a band graphic t-shirt and sweatpants.

"Good morning", Chen forces out, his voice barely above a whisper. He chastised himself for sounding so quiet but it's all he could manage at the moment. 

Chanyeol looks over to Chen from the kitchen and the cat hybrid squirms from the attention. That usual caramel gaze wasn't as warm and inviting as before. Now Chen felt like they were staring at his soul, calculated and cold. 

"Morning," Chanyeol says, voice deep and husky.

Before Chen can say or ask anything about how the dog hybrid is doing, Chanyeol turns his attention to the table and asks, "Is that for me?" Referring to the food laid out by Chen and Junmyeon. 

Chen nodded vigorously, worried his voice would somehow betray him. He watched as Chanyeol gave an affirmative hum and moved to sit at the table. Chen never took his eyes off the dog hybrid, far to intrigued by his new appearance. Well technically, Chanyeol looked the same has he always did. But the shift in his aura made him look older, more mature for some reason.

Chen finds himself staring at the slight furrow of Chanyeol's eyebrows, the tightness of his jaw as he eats, the tension in his fingers as he grips the chopsticks. And of course, Chen lingers on Chanyeol's moist lips, glistening in the afternoon lighting.

"It's good," Chanyeol says midway through his meal. He looks back up at Chen and the cat hybrid flinches initially before smiling shyly. 

"Glad you like it," Chen replies, heat touching his cheeks. He sees the corners of Chanyeol's lips curl up slightly and a warmth fills his chest. For the briefest moment, Chanyeol looks normal again.

Once finished with his food, Chanyeol stands up to clean the dishes. 

"Thanks for the food," Chanyeol says, "You and Junmyeon did a great job."

"Hm?," Chen tilts his head, "How did you know we worked together?"

The dog hybrid snickers, "Because you always over cook the vegetables." 

Chen gasps, completely scandalized. "I did no such thing!" The blush in Chen's cheeks turned darker. How dare he accuse him of burning veggies not just once, but every time? 

It was enough for Chen to get out of his seat and march over to the kitchen. He stood next to Chanyeol, looking up at him with furrowed eyebrows. He became even more disgruntled when the dog hybrid doesn't even look or acknowledge his presence, continuing to clean the dishes. 

"I'll have you know that Junmyeon was the one who prepared the vegetables. I only prepared the galbi." Chen crossed his arms and smirked up at the dog hybrid. He didn't miss how Chanyeol wolfed down the galbi earlier, meaning he clearly enjoyed it.

"Hm," Chanyeol hummed, "No wonder it tasted overcooked." 

Chen had enough. A displeased growl rose from his throat. He rose a hand up to swat at Chanyeol's arm like he always does whenever the dog hybrid teases him.

"If it tasted overcooked then why did you eat-!"

Before Chen makes contact, Chanyeol's hand suddenly shoots up and grabs Chen's wrist. It causes the cat hybrid to freeze, shocked by the fact this was the first time Chanyeol has decided to counter him.

Chen doesn't hit hard, at least he doesn't think so. It's more of a tap than anything, often using his fingers instead of the palm of his hand. He does this with a lot of people who seek to tease him. Of course if they tell him not to do it then he stops.

Chen's gaze flickered between the large hand on his wrist and Chanyeol's profile. Chanyeol still wasn't looking at him, gaze glued to the empty sink, his jaw appeared tighter than usual. 

"Chanyeol?" Chen asks softly, he places his other hand around Chanyeol's wrist. He feels a heightened pulse underneath his fingertips, bringing about more concern.

With Chen's prompting, Chanyeol finally turns to look at him. He turns stiff when he sees Chanyeol's caramel eyes are darker, swirling with desire. 

Oh.

It was just like this morning, when Chanyeol was ... relieving himself.

Chen 'eeps' when Chanyeol pulls him forward, bringing him up against a broad chest. An arm wraps around Chen's shoulders, making the embrace more intimate. Chen places a free hand on Chanyeol's chest to brace himself but doesn't push away, mainly because Chanyeol's scent and warmth are too inviting, making his stomach do flips.

Chanyeol buries his nose into Chen's silver hair and takes a deep whiff of the cat hybrid's scent, releasing a heavy sigh shortly after. 

"Sorry," Chanyeol says softly into Chen's folded ear, allowing his warm breath to tickle the sensitive flap. "I must have scared you this morning."

"No," Chen denies, heat rising to his cheeks just thinking about it. "Sure I was spooked. But you would never do anything to hurt me." Almost as a way to enforce his statement, Chen tries to crowd closer. He nuzzles his face into Chanyeol's chest and purrs quietly. 

Chen hears Chanyeol's breath hitch before releasing the grip on his wrist. He pulls away from Chen and the cat hybrid strains not to whimper from the loss of contact. Chanyeol looks down at him with a solemn smile, eyebrows slightly pinched in discomfort. Chen wishes he could help him feel better.

But that would mean...

"Good." Chanyeol replies after a sigh of relief. "It's been a while since I've had a rut this intense. I wasn't in my right mind this morning." He brings a hand up to ruffle Chen's hair. "Glad you're alright."

Chen whines when Chanyeol messes up his hair, quickly attempting to fix it as Chanyeol laughs sweetly at him. The rich tone of Chanyeol's voice causes warmth to bloom in his chest. It's surprising to Chen how comfortable he feels with Chanyeol even though he's in rut. Even when he looks at him with those lustful eyes, Chen doesn't feel upset or fearful. 

"I should be more concerned about you," Chen redirects as he regains his composure, "Does your rut device work? Do you feel any discomfort? Do you-?"

"It's just a rut Chen," Chanyeol interrupts with another hearty laugh, "It's not like I'm sick or anything. I'm just..."

Chanyeol trails of, his gaze becoming distant as he crosses his arms and leans against the counter. He looks uncomfortable again, muscles tightening. It makes Chen feel upset knowing Chanyeol isn't fine. Sure ruts are a normal bodily function that a lot of hybrids go through, but still. 

"Do you need me to do anything for you?" Chen asks carefully. He swallowed as Chanyeol watches him, silently contemplating his question. 

Chen already knows precisely how he can help. Of course, it's probably not a very good idea considering their complicated relationship. Regardless, he felt the urge to help Chanyeol in some way, especially since he helped him during his heat. He's just returning a favor. That's all it is.

"Yes," Chanyeol answers.

Now it's Chen's turn to tense up, his mind going wild with possibilities. What was Chanyeol going to ask him to do?   
It could be anything from innocent cuddling to sitting on his co-

"Distract me," Chanyeol says, "I need you to keep me distracted from my rut."

"Ah," Chen replies shyly playing with hem of his sweater. 

Of course that's what Chanyeol was going to say.

🐱🐶

"Do you think it could be the neighbor?" Chen asks, looking over at Chanyeol from his favorite spot on the couch. Chanyeol is sitting all the way on the other side of the couch, eyes furrowed in concentration. 

They were in the middle of watching another episode of CSI:SEOUL. The story this time revolved around Agent Somin's subplot where she is being stalked by a mysterious individual. Whoever it is knows where she lives and works, leaving her intimidating notes. She refused to tell Officer J.Seph, Agent BM, or Detective Jiwoo about her issue, much to Chen's dismay. It's one of Somin's traits that Chen finds frustrating at times because she is his favorite character and her withholding information always leads to her getting hurt.

"Maybe...," Chanyeol responds after giving Chen's deduction some thought. His prediction was sound, there were many clues that hinted at the neighbor's involvement that didn't feel to obvious. The show was likely headed in that direction.

Chen stared at Chanyeol for a moment before humming and turning back to the screen. For some reason, Chanyeol hasn't been very active or lively as he usually is while watching the show. Instead of going on long tangents, explaining his predictions and coming to peculiar conclusions with sparkling eyes, he kept mostly quiet. He only agreed with Chen's predictions, putting up little resistance when he disagreed. When Chanyeol guesses incorrectly, instead of dramatically jumping out of his seat and cussing himself out for falling into the shows trap, he instead muttered a small 'oh' and silently accepted the episode's conclusion. 

It was concerning Chen. Part of the reason why he enjoyed watching crime/investigation shows with Chanyeol was hearing his crazy hypothesis and laughing at his foolishness. 

"Are you really okay?" Chen grows the courage to ask once the commercials begin. 

Chanyeol only nods and hums, eyes still fixed on the screen as colorful advertisements pass by. As a cat hybrid, Chen wasn't as intune to other people as dog hybrids, but even he could tell Chanyeol wasn't fine. His body language was laced with obvious discomfort, from the tightness of his jaw, to the tension of his muscles, to the hitching of his breath every few minutes. 

Chen picked up his phone to glance at the time and saw a message from Junmyeon saying he ran into a friend and will be home in about an hour. With a sigh, Chen sits up and turns his body so that his legs are no longer stretched on the long side of the couch. He sits to face Chanyeol, eyes filled with determination. 

"I can help you," Chen says. 

Chanyeol doesn't turn his head, but his eyes flickered over to Chen, caramel gaze turning darker. It makes Chen anxious but he pushes the sensation down, choosing to focus on Chanyeol's well being instead.

"You are helping," Chanyeol says, pulling a strained smile again, "I just need to stop thinking about it."

Chen narrowed his eyes at the lying dog hybrid. Chanyeol senses Chen disbelief and finally turns his head, his expression softening. "Really, this is helping," Chanyeol clarifies further. "You don't need to do anything else."

"But what if I want to."

Chanyeol doesn't respond. 

That prompts Chen to get up from his seat and move closer. Chanyeol's gaze grows more intense as the cat hybrid approaches, eyebrows pinched and pupils small, almost as a silent warning.

But Chen doesn't let the look phase him, having already made up his mind.

"Let me do more for you." Chen insists while standing directly in front of the dog hybrid, arms crossed in defiance as he holds eye contact. Chanyeol quietly stares back at him, ears twitching in what Chen assumes to be annoyance. He wasn't going to back down from this.

"I don't want you to," Chanyeol says with finality, a tone that would succeed in ending this conversation had it been anyone else but Chen.

"And why not?" Chen asks, growing frustrated. "Because you're afraid of hurting me?"

Chanyeol says nothing.

"You helped me during my heat." Chen says, his voice softening. "It's only fair I return the favor." For a moment Chen spots conflict in the dog hybrid's eyes.

"It's...It's not... I don't..." Chanyeol's eyebrows furrowed, shaking his head. "This isn't the same. What I need is... You can't do this for me." The dog hybrid crosses his arms in a defensive manner, dark caramel eyes landing on anything except the cat hybrid in front of him.

"Just tell me what you need," Chen says before lowering himself onto Chanyeol's lap, pushing the dog hybrid's thighs apart more so he could kneel between them. The contact feels exhilarating to Chen, especially with how Chanyeol's strong scent was teasing his nasal cavity. 

At Chen's actions, Chanyeol reacts immediately, eyes going wide and ears straight up in alarm. His hands shoot back to grip the top of the couch for dear life as Chen leans into his space. 

"Let me help you," Chen purrs, rubbing his face into Chanyeol's chest affectionately. "My scent grounds you right? I'll stick close to you like when I was in heat." He looks up at Chanyeol with the cutest kitten eyes he could muster, not as potent as puppy eyes but still useful. "How does that sound?"

Chanyeol swallows nervously but makes no move to shove him out of his space. There is still uncertainty present in his gaze but Chen knows it will eventually fade as long as he continues to reassure the dog hybrid that he wasn't afraid. That it was fine to seek Chen out for comfort.

When Chanyeol doesn't reply, Chen turns around so that his back was flush with Chanyeol's front, situating himself between Chanyeol's spread legs. There is something poking into his lower back that he knows the dog hybrid would be embarrassed about if he brought it up, so he stays quiet. It wasn't causing Chen any discomfort, although it did spring a litany of perverted thoughts that would probably have any decent hybrid owner spritzing him with a spray bottle. 

After a couple more seconds of tension where Chen suspects Chanyeol is going to push him away, an action that would surely upset the already comfortable cat hybrid, Chen feels Chanyeol finally relax behind him. 

Chanyeol places his face into Chen's silver hair and breath deep his familiar scent. Long arms come around the small hybrid's shoulders in a gentle embrace, loose enough for Chen to break if he isn't fine with it.

The corners of Chen's mouth tick up into a cute kitten curl at that, reclining a little further against the dog hybrid. He was being touched in a properly established green zone right now so he had nothing to fear. Although, he still remembers that one time when Chanyeol had his arms wrapped around his waist instead. He would love Chanyeol to hold him around his waist again, but his initial shyness had returned once more.

This wasn't for his pleasure. This was for Chanyeol. 

"Better?" Chen asks tilting his head to see the dog hybrid. 

"Better," Chanyeol replies after a long sigh, nuzzling the side of Chen's face.

Unlike heats, there isn't much else to satiate a rut other than exotic scents and wild fucking. Since Chanyeol was clearly avoiding the second option, Chen decided to go for the first. Using his scent, the cat hybrid sought so relieve at least some of Chanyeol's discomfort. 

"It's not the neighbor," Chanyeol pipes up right before the show returns from commercial. 

"Hm?," Chen is at first confused by Chanyeol's statement until he remembers what they were watching together. 

"Agent Somin's boy friend showed up around the same time she gained a stalker," Chanyeol explained, "He also knows where she lives and works."

Chen furrowed his eyebrows, heavily contemplating Chanyeol's deduction. The boyfriend Yoonho was an electrical engineer. Somin met him while he was repairing one of the lifts at her apartment complex. They continued to meet up after that until they final became a couple. Their relationship seemed fine enough, with Yoonho calling Somin to see how she's doing every once in a while, or them going out for dinner together after a case is solved. 

There was a time where Chen suspected the boyfriend wasn't as great or clean as the show would have them believe. However they were a couple of events in the show that drew away his suspicion. 

"But what about that time he was beaten up in front of her apartment? Clearly that was the stalker trying to send some kind of message to her right?" Chen asks, absent-mindedly tracing the helm of Chanyeol's pants as he tries to think.

"Mm. Could have been staged by him. He could give a clear description of his attacker. Maybe he hired a local gang to rough him up on the way there," Chanyeol says, placing his chin back on Chen's heads. "And isn't it odd how the CCTV footage was corrupted around the same time of the event? Seems suspicious to me."

For once, this had to be Chanyeol's most plausible deduction yet. It was indeed suspicious how all the camera footage was trashed. With Yooho's expertise in electronics it isn't a stretch to think he tampered with them. He was a way better suspect than the neighbor, who wasn't very tech savvy now that Chen thought about it.

Very interesting.

They both quieted down as the scenes unfold. 

Agent Somin has just come back from a case and was about to head into her apartment when she is stopped by the old lady a couple doors down from her. Their conversation is light, with the nice old woman providing Somin with comfort after a particularly disturbing case. Everything seems fine until the old woman asks how her boyfriend is doing. This confuses Somin but she replies by saying that he's doing fine and he's staying in Japan for work. The old lady gives her a strange look and mentions that she saw Yoonho here yesterday, fixing the security cameras. 

Chen sits up from his seat, hands clutching desperately at Chanyeol's arms across his front like they were the harnesses of a roller-coaster ride. His ember gaze went from the screen then to Chanyeol then back to the screen frantically, wanting to know if the dog hybrid was seeing this. 

Chanyeol's expression is still blank for the most part, only nodding his head from the cat hybrid's prompting. 

They both watch as Somin enters her apartment, confusion evident on her face as she takes of her shoes. The show flashes a couple of scenes from before, all highlighting how she met Yoonho and every little detail that was left unanswered, every detail left unclear. Chen gasps when one familiar scene involving Yoonho magically appearing to pick Somin up from a case location. For weeks Chen had been thinking about that episode, racking his brain over how Yoonho could have possibly known when to show up at the right time. Somin didn't asks any questions because she was tired and pleased to see her boyfriend. But it set off red flags in Chen's head all the way up to when Yoonho was supposedly 'assaulted' by the stalker.

"Oh my god," Chen whispers when the realization finally hits him.

At that moment, someone comes up behind Somin and whacks her in the back of the head with something. She blacks out immediately, falling unconscious on the wooded floor. The camera pans up to reveal Yoonho's devilish smirk before cutting to black.

"OH MY GOD!" Chen screams at the credits while jumping out of Chanyeol's embrace. He couldn't believe this, the show completely threw him for a loop. Of course this has happened many times, but for something so blatantly obvious? Absolutely unbelievable.

"How? When? Why!?" Chen yells in exasperation, tugging at his silver hair. 

He hears Chanyeol chuckle from behind him and turns around to see the dog hybrid's sunny expression, looking gleefully at Chen. 

"Looks like I got it right this time," Chanyeol laughed. Chen would congratulate Chanyeol if he wasn't so distracted by how gorgeous he looks when happy. It was like all signs of his rut had disappeared, returning the playful Chanyeol that Chen adores. It's enough to make the cat hybrid melt all over again.

They both hear the front door open and Junmyeon's voice from the hall way, "I'm back! Would you two mind giving me a hand?"

Chen and Chanyeol waist no time running to their owner, assisting him with the grocery bags. Junmyeon was trying to carry too many at a time and Chen was very vocal about his displeasure, nagging the man about how he should be more careful with his back. Even though Junmyeon was still in his twenties. 

"How's your rut?" Junmyeon asks once everything was stored.

"Fine. Not as intense as this morning." Chanyeol replies, leaning against the counter after he closes the store closet. "Thankfully, I have Chen to keep me distracted. He's been a real help." 

"Oh really?" Junmyeon smiles at Chen and the cat hybrid shyly looks out the window to avoid his owners gaze. "Look at you being all helpful," Junmyeon teases.

Their owner has no idea what’s going on between Chen and Chanyeol. He knows they have grown closer over time, no longer a hissing cat and excitable dog relationship. 

The truth will forever be hidden from him. 

  
🐱🐶

Chen surprisingly feels more comfortable with Chanyeol as the day goes by. The knot of anxiety that had formed that morning was slowly unraveling until it disappeared completely. Leaving behind a deep desire to be close to the dog hybrid.

Chanyeol's behavior is very stand-off ish, allowing Chen to latch on to him but barely touching the cat hybrid in return, not even on his green zones. Chen senses Chanyeol's desire to hold him, but the rut is clearly contributing to his uncertainty. 

It's obvious had Chanyeol been any other dog hybrid in rut they would have jumped Chen by now, force themselves on the cat hybrid for their own gratification. It also didn't help that Chen was purring and rubbing his scent all over Chanyeol, practically tempting the dog hybrid's instincts to dominate and claim. Chen couldn't help it, not with how intoxicating Chanyeol's scent was due to his rut. It was ten times stronger than normal and it was driving Chen mad with want.

Perhaps Chanyeol jumping him wouldn't be so bad, he thinks before mentally chastising himself for conjuring up such a provocative thought. 

But Chanyeol holds back, only rubbing his face into Chen's hair and inhaling Chen's scent whenever he can, like it's the only think keeping him sane.

Chen appreciated the apprehension. Though, now his own frustration and desire for physical contact were going unanswered. 

So here he is, standing in Chanyeol's room, a familiar gray hoodie in hand.

Chanyeol is downstairs in the home gym lifting weights. Exercise can help with most ruts, an outlet to release the sexual frustration. It's obvious Chanyeol's rut device doesn't work. Whenever Chanyeol sneaks away to use it, he comes back a few minutes later looking just as tense as before. 

Chen dawned the grey hoodie right after shoving his face into the material for a couple of minutes, loosing himself in Chanyeol's musk. It had been in the wash recently, but he can faintly pick up the dog hybrid's scent.

Chen recently did a quick internet search of 'what to do when a dog hybrid is in rut' to see if there was another way to help Chanyeol. One of the sites suggested having the owner wear some of the hybrid's clothing or allow the hybrid to scent them. Scenting is something dog hybrid's do to make things or people smell like them, thus satisfying their need to claim territory. 

The site didn't mention anything the other hybrids in the household could do other than saying out of the rutted dog hybrid's way. It specifically told other dog hybrids with a submissive disposition must stay far away from the rutted dog hybrid or risk sexual misconduct between them.

Chen's thoughts suddenly turned to Kai, imagining what would happen if he were close to Chanyeol right now. Would Chanyeol jump Kai and...

Chen shakes his head at the dirty thought, rubbing his flushed face and groaning in embarrassment. Hot dog hybrid sex is the last thing he should be thinking about right now. Chanyeol needs his help.

Chen slips on a pair of fitting yoga pants BamBam got him for Christmas before heading down stares, dark gray with deep orange stripes down the sides. He snickers after remembering how the younger cat hybrid said they would make his ass look good. Though it wasn't a lie, Chen already knows his ass looks great in everything. 

Heading downstairs, Chen adjusted the large hoodie so the sleeves covered most of his hands, only exposing his fingers. It made him look even more pocket sized than usual. 

Even though the site only recommended hybrid owners wear their hybrid's cloths, Chen thought he could do it as well. Besides, it's not like the site said he couldn't do it, right?

The kitchen is currently occupied by Junmyeon, washing up the remaining dishes from dinner. He looks about ready to pass out.

"You could have told me to do the dishes you know." Chen says while walking over to his owners side. 

"I know," Junmyeon smiles after a long yawn. He pets Chen's head and the cat hybrid purrs like he always does. "I just wanted to do them this time." Then Junmyeon noticed Chen's pants. "Are you going to work out?"

"Yes," Chen replies, holding back a whine when Junmyeon retracted his hand. "I figured do some yoga before bed."

"Alright," Junmyeon hums. Then his face turns a little more serious. "Are... you sure you're okay around Chanyeol?"

The question catches Chen off guard. He swallowed awkwardly before replying with, "Sure. I'm not worried about him doing anything to me." Chen fidgeted in place as he spoke to his owner.

"Okay," Junmyeon says, his gentle smile returning. "Just know if you're ever uncomfortable just tell me and I'll ask if Mr. Min can take you in for a few days."

A sleep over at Jimin's would be fun. Mr. Min Yoongi is a nice quiet man who adores Chen. And Jimin is great company, an excellent communicator. If BamBam hadn't found out first Chen was always going to tell Jimin about his complicated relationship with Chanyeol. Jimin is the sweetest, most understanding person Chen knows.

Aside from Chanyeol of course. 

Chen gives an affirmative hum before bidding his sleepy owner goodnight, cooing at how cute his owner looks before bed, eyelids drooping and lips curled into a dopey smile. 

Once he hears the door to Junmyeon's bedroom close Chen focused his attention on the door to the in-house gym. He could vaguely hear the sound of weights being shifted around and dropped. No doubt Chanyeol was pushing himself to the limit with all that pent up energy.

Chen pulls out his yoga mat from the shelf and a water bottle from the fridge.  
Truthfully, Chen could have his yoga session in the living room, put on a rerun of an old game show as background noise. But he wanted to be closer to the dog hybrid. 

The mat was blue with little rubber duckies all over it, a joke item from Jimin. Chen got back at him by buying a bright pink one with naked cupids. 

When Chen opens the door to the gym he is immediately assaulted by a thick musk, making him feel lightheaded. His gut swoops with how he could practically taste Chanyeol's arousal, that sexual frustration being converted into kinetic energy. 

Chanyeol is hunched over the bench, pumping a ten pound weight in one arm. His bicep is the thickest it has ever looked, veins prominent along the muscle. Chanyeol is in a sleeveless sweatshirt with basketball shorts, his skin glistening. His hair fell into his eyes, sweat dripping down his handsome features. 

Chen still struggles to figure out if the dog hybrid is real sometimes. No one, be they human or hybrid, should look that hot while exercising. It's impossible. 

Chanyeol looks up at him and Chen's breath catches in his throat once those dilated pupils are on him. The dog hybrid looked almost feral at this point, his disheveled and worn out appearance contributed to his wild aura. 

Chanyeol sets the weight down and a few seconds pass by with Chanyeol's steely gaze roaming over Chen's form, making the cat hybrid think he isn't wanted here. But then, Chanyeol's expression softens, his caramel eyes turning fond.

"Come to finally join me?" Chanyeol asks with a smirk, voice light and teasing. 

Chen relaxes, a small kitten curl on his lips upon recognizing the Chanyeol he knows. 

"As if," Chen snorts while entering the gym, "I'm only here to do my yoga. Not throw weights around like a meat head."

Chanyeol tilts his head, "Don't you do that in the living room?"

"Yeah well," Chen replies, avoiding the dog hybrid's gaze as heat rose to his cheeks, "I wanted to do it in here. Is that a problem?" Chen fained annoyance, pouting at Chanyeol with a glare.

"No, not at all," Chanyeol answers with an awkward laugh and putting his hands up in defense. 

Chen replied with a snappy 'Good' before laying out his yoga mat at the other side of the room. 

The gym wasn't as big as most celebrity ones, mostly because it was a repurposed bedroom. But it was still large enough for a few machines and a weight area. There was plenty of space for Chen to do yoga without getting in Chanyeol's way. The only reason he doesn't do this often is because Chanyeol is too big a distraction. 

"You're wearing my hoodie again." Chen hears the dog hybrid say while stretching. Chen is facing away from Chanyeol as to keep his eyes from wandering.

"Yeah," Chen replies, not turning to look at the dog hybrid. 

There is a pregnant silence between them until Chen speaks up.

"Want me to take it off?"

Chen doesn't realize the implications of his own question until it's to late, flinching at how he could practically feel Chanyeol's gaze on his back. Chanyeol doesn't say anything at first, further fueling Chen's anxiousness. His heart thuds against his chest as he continues to stretch, quietly waiting for the dog hybrid to reply.

"No."

The deepness in Chanyeol's voice makes Chen shiver, flubbing one his stretches for a moment. He makes no move to turn around, already knowing he'd be met with lustful eyes. 

Once finished with his stretching, Chen final begins his yoga session, glancing at the clock to make sure he gets enough time in for every form and pose. Chen is very flexible, not as flexible as Jimin or BamBam but he could perform most of the complicated posses with relative ease. 

Chen occasionally focuses his ear on Chanyeol, hearing weights move around behind him. The silence between them had turned more comfortable as they focused on their own tasks. Chanyeol's scent was still swirling around Chen, teasing his nasal cavity. But he managed to distract himself by paying more attention to the pleasant ache of his joints.

Eventually, Chen gets into a more taxing position after performing the other poses, his joints close to buckling. His arms and legs are firmly planted on the mat, forming his body into a triangle. The grey hoodie slides up his body to expose his abs and back but Chen doesn't care at the moment, way to focused on holding his form. Little mewls of effort leave his lips as he pushes himself.

He had already decided that this was to be his final position before heading in for the night. Every bone in his body was telling him to call it quits, half ass this one position so that he can get up and go. He can't give in, not when he's so close.

Chen's concentration is broken by the sound of something loud hitting the floor.

Startled, Chen falls over onto his stomach. The yoga mat cushions most of his fall, but the soreness in his body has him feeling pain anyways. Groaning in discomfort, Chen turned over to his side to see what had caused the loud noise.

There is a weight abandoned on the floor and no sign of Chanyeol. He notices the door wide open and a sensation of unease fills his stomach. 

Alarmed and confused, Chen gets up from the floor, shaking off the soreness and exiting the gym in search of the dog hybrid. Since Chanyeol left abruptly, Chen worried he might have hurt himself or something, Chanyeol could be pretty clumsy after all.

Chen spots Chanyeol in the kitchen, frantically splashing tap water in his face. Water is spraying all over the counter and floor but Chen doesn't comment on it, too baffled by Chanyeol's strange behavior. 

"Are you alright?" Chen asks, walking to the other side of the counter to sit at the stool. He's still winded from his workout, heart rate heightened.

"I think I overheated," Chanyeol laughed after shaking his head, hair spreading water droplets everywhere. Some hit Chen and he makes a small noise of displeasure. Though, he found it difficult to keep from smiling every time he heard the dog hybrid's husky laugh.

"You're really flexible," Chanyeol comments after pouring Chen a glass of water, "Do you even have bones?"

Chen puffed put his chest in pride. "My breed is the most flexible among the cat hybrid race," Chen lied. He's pretty sure BamBam's breed was the most flexible, but Chen wasn't going to admit that to Chanyeol, not when the dog hybrid's caramel eyes were twinkling in awe at him.

"You're amazing Chen," Chanyeol says with a warm smile, turning Chen's insides into mush.

"It's nothing special," Chen says, shyly  
waving the dog hybrid away. Praise was his ultimate weakness, turning him into a bashful mess in seconds. Junmyeon had found a way weaponized it whenever he wants to appease a whiney or fussy Chen.

"I mean it Chen, your body is phenomenal."

Naturally, praise coming from Chanyeol had the same effect.

Probably even more so with how insanely attractive Chanyeol looked at the moment, sweatshirt clinging to his chest as he leaned his forearms against the counter. Half lidded caramel eyes watching him with adoration.

A familiar heat pools in Chen's stomach as he stares into Chanyeol's mesmerizing gaze, fingers gripping the stool for dear life.

He's tongue tied by the dog hybrid's acute attention on him. It also didn't help that Chanyeol's musk was jumping out at him again, so sweet and inviting. 

Fuck.

Chen feels a sudden stir in his nether region and is sent into panic mode, practically leaping off the stool. 

"I should go take a shower now." Chen rushed out before swiftly making his way to the stairs. "Goodnight!"

"Hey."

Chanyeol's voice halts him in place, only a few feet away from the staircase. He turns back and is greeted by a very serious looking dog hybrid, completely different from how he looked a few seconds ago. Chen swallowed nervously before humming at him in response. 

"... You might want to lock your door tonight."

Chen's jaw dropped, had he been one of those western cartoons it would have hit the floor with a comical thud. 

"I- you-," Chen stammers, not sure how to respond to that. Is Chanyeol implying he might... do something to him tonight?

It's so absurd that Chen brushes it of as a joke.

"Yeah right," Chen snorts, "What? Your going to come to my room and use me?"

Chen said it as a joke, to get a laugh out of the other hybrid. But Chanyeol's expression remained dead serious, sending Chen's heart into his throat. 

"You...You'd do that?"

Chanyeol's expression softens a bit, "You came to me during your heat remember. I'd rather not do the same." A sad smile touches his lips. "I'm sure I'll be able to control my urges, but lock your door just in case."

Chen swallows anxiously, fidgeting with his fingers as he listened to the dog hybrid's reasoning. He thought back to his last heat, how utterly unhinged he was in seeking out Chanyeol's body. How he damn near molested Chanyeol in his sleep. Of course he's grateful the dog hybrid agreed to help. But to this day Chen feels a little ashamed of himself for his behavior, heat brain be damned.

"Ok," Chen murmured, "Goodnight."

🐱🐶

_Chen sat on the cold hardwood floor, the frigid room temperature nipping at his exposed legs. The raggedy oversized shirt he wore did nothing to insulate his shivering form._

_But he was fine with this._

_How could Chen be upset when he was leaning his head on his master's warm thigh, a hand softly caressing the flap of his ear._

_"You're my precious little baby."_

_Chen purred, rubbing his face affectionately into the worn out jeans that contained his master's familiar scent. Master's features are poorly lit in the dim lamp light coming from above, but Chen didn't care, he didn't need to see his master's face to know he loved him._

_These were the moments he cherished the most._

_When no one is hurting him._

_When there is no pain._

_When he feels like an adequate cat hybrid with nothing but love to give._

_It never lasts long._

_The front door slams open, startling Chen from his moment of bliss. His injured tail shoots up in alarm only to fall back down upon Chen's wince of discomfort._

_This is where reality kicks back in._

_"Chennie."_

_It's the man in the doorway speaking. The man Chen wasn't sure if he was his second master or not. But he always orders Chen around so he must be. Right?_

_"A little birdie told me you talked yesterday."_

_Chen stays still as stone, his face turning a ghostly pale._

_"Is that right?"_

_Says his master above him, having halted his affectionate caresses a while ago. His voice is devoid of all emotion, nothing but a chilling tone._

_Chen looks up at him with pleading eyes only to be met by a cold stare._

_"What did I tell you about talking?"_

_Chen dropped his head, not able to see his master's loveless eyes. His heart broke every time he witnessed them._

_"We've told you a hundred times."_

_It's his second master speaking now, hovering over Chen like a dark specter, his presence trapping Chen in place._

_The poor cat hybrid is painfully aware of the dog hybrids hiding in the shadows, all staring at him with ravenous eyes. It's clear that Chen's masters are the only thing standing in their way._

_Chen could only huddle close to his master's leg and grip the worn out jeans with his frail hands, pathetic mewls of fear leaving his chest as he hides his face in the fabric._

_But there is nowhere to hide._

_"Animals don't talk."_

_A cruel hand grabs Chen by the hair and the frightened cat hybrid screams at the top of his lungs._

Chen wakes up from bed feeling like absolute garbage. He squinted at the ceiling as if trying to focus on the spotless surface.

The clock read nine in the morning, a time where he'd still be asleep. However after the madness of last night he was left too wrecked to fall asleep again. 

After Chanyeol told him to lock his door, he spent the night wide awake, locking and unlocking his bedroom door every thirty minutes until he finally crashed from exhaustion around 5 or 6 am.

Chen was stuck with a conundrum.

If he locked his door that would mean he's safe from Chanyeol seeking him out for his rut. Meaning Chanyeol would leaving him alone and plow his useless rut device for the rest of the night.

If he kept his door unlocked that would mean Chanyeol would have access to his room and might try to jump him in his sleep. Chanyeol would use the cat hybrid to solve his rut.

Chen was conflicted. On one hand he was frightened by the prospect of a dog hybrid in rut coming close to him. 

On the other... that dog hybrid was Chanyeol. And Chen actually wanted to help him. Even... 

Even if it meant having sex. 

For hybrid heaven's sake he understood how dangerous it could be for his mental health. It could send him back to dark times, erase all of his progress with Chanyeol. Hell, all of his progress with Junmyeon even.

But he couldn't stand to see Chanyeol so uncomfortable. Especially around him. Chen wanted his friend back. 

His lovable, affectionate, dopey, attentive, understanding, gorgeous, handsome, funny, perfect friend back.

...Anyways.

In the end, Chanyeol never came to Chen's room. He didn't even hear the dog hybrid rattle the door knob. The house was completely silent aside from Chen pacing his bedroom like a madman.

The whole time he pondered what he would do should Chanyeol actually show up. His heart wanted to accept Chanyeol's request for help and spread his legs wide open for the dog hybrid. But his instincts for self preservation kept telling him to jump head first out of his second story window and escape. 

Okay so maybe it wasn't his self preservation instincts telling him to do that. Maybe it's his ever present 'dumb bitch' syndrome he contracted from BamBam?

None of that mattered anymore. 

Chen throws an arm over his sore eyes, blocking out the light from the curtains as he exhaled a long sigh. His mind is clearly malfunctioning due to lack of sleep and food. So since he can't force himself back to sleep, he might as well find food.

Getting out of bed is a chore, his body telling him to fuck off while simultaneously yelling at him to get food. Grumbling in annoyance, Chen shuffled out of his room and down the stairs to the kitchen. The more he moved the more his agitation rose.

Why the fuck did Chanyeol tell him to lock his door last night if he wasn't going to show up? Maybe if he hadn't said anything Chen would of had a perfect night of sleep. And Junmyeon. Who the hell told him buying a two story house is a good idea? Does the man what Chen to fall down the stairs and crack his head open? What's wrong with buying a nice cozy apartment in Seoul? One of these days-

Chen's mental diatribe is haunted by the view of Chanyeol on the couch. Just like that, Chen's fussy morning mood is replaced by concern for the dog hybrid. 

Chanyeol is lying on Chen's side of the couch, body reclined with his arms crossed over his chest and his feet dangling off the edge of the foot rest. Chen would be more upset if it wasn't for the fact Chanyeol looked half dead. Chanyeol's gaze is vacant, his usually bright caramel eyes are a dull brown as he stares unseeingly into the television. There are dark shadows under his eyes, indicating that he didn't get any sleep either last night.

Chen bit his lip as he observed the dog hybrid's condition, his heart sinking a little from the upsetting display.

...Maybe if he let Chanyeol use‐

"G'Morning!"

Junmyeon's chipper morning tone startles Chen, flinching before turning to his owner in the kitchen. The man gives Chen one of his signature sunny smiles and waves at him with a wooden spoon. He is wear a cooking apron Chen got him last Christmas, beige with brown bunnies scattered all over.

"Morning," Chen replies politely and walks towards the kitchen, eyes returning to the dog hybrid still situated on the couch.

Chanyeol's ear twitches and he gives a regarding hum in response to Chen's morning greeting, not taking his eyes off the screen. His nose flares as the cat hybrid passes by and Chen swears he sees Chanyeol's shoulders sink, the dog hybrid taking on a more relaxed aura. Chen's scent must still calm him.

"Looks like you didn't get any sleep either," Junmyeon says, patting Chen on the head before placing breakfast in front of him. "Bad nightmare?"

Chen hummed in thought as he began to eat. He recalled dreaming about something upsetting but the details were fuzzy, this morning's hissy fit clouding most of his memories about it. So Chen just shrugged at his owner and continued to eat.

"Chanyeol and I already ate," Junmyeon says, taking a seat across from the cat hybrid. "Poor Chanyeol was having trouble last night."

Chen's ears twitched as he looked up from his dish to see Junmyeon's head leaning on his hand and his gaze focused on the dog hybrid sitting on the couch, his expression forlorn.

"Did something happen to him last night?" Chen asks carefully, glancing over his shoulder at Chanyeol's unmoving form. 

"His rut kept him awake. I don't think his toy is working." Junmyeon replies. "We might need to buy him a different one next time."

Chen once again feels the pit of his heart ache at Chanyeol's suffering, knowing first hand how painful it can be when your toy doesn't work. 

"I'm going out tonight," Junmyeon says, catching Chen's attention. 

"With who? Your costars?" He asks his owner while finishing his kimchi stew. Junmyeon prepared it well this morning. 

"You could says that." A red hue rose to Junmyeon's cheeks and it only takes Chen a few seconds to realize who his owner is going out to see. He flashes a mischievous cheshire grin.

"Ah, I see," Chen purrs, "You're going out with Mr.Oh aren't you?" Both literally and figuratively it seems. Oh how Chen could wait to tease Junmyeon for the upcoming months about thi-

"Yes."

Junmyeon avoids Chen's gaze and the red of his cheeks darken, making the hybrid owner appear bashful. The cheshire grin on Chen's face fades when he sees a familiar look on Junmyeon's face, one he hasn't seen in a long time. 

"Are you serious about him?" Chen aske, loosing the snark and deciding to actually take his owner seriously. 

Junmyeon's happiness was everything. And if Mr.Oh could give that to his owner, Chen would gladly set aside his sour feelings for the man's camping suggestions and allow Junmyeon to pursue this relationship. It's happened before where Junmyeon isn't quite sure about what he wants. He spent the first two years after Chen's adoption focused on rehabilitating the battered cat hybrid to the point where he's lost most of his social life skills. 

The following two years, Junmyeon tried getting back out their, with the help of Chen of course. There were many relationships that fell through due to Junmyeon's conflicting schedule, not to mention his subconscious need to prioritize Chen. 

In hindsight, adopting Chanyeol did help with diminishing Junmyeon's 'helicopter owner' mentality. Junmyeon never says anything, but Chen knows his owner like the back of his hand. Before Chanyeol came into their lives, Junmyeon was upset about leaving Chen alone at home for almost an entire day, five to six days a week. Considering how damaged Chen was in the beginning, it's no wonder the man worried himself to death over the cat hybrid.

But Chen is a lot better now. Meaning Junmyeon should focus on finding the love he fantasizes about.

"He's a nice man. Very thoughtful." Junmyeon says, a gentle smile on his lips as he thinks about the other man. "We've been talking back and forth for a few months now. A few weeks ago he showed up to my work place in his biker outfit and huge bouquet of roses," Junmyeon shakes his head with a laugh. "He proposed his feelings for me right there."

Chen thought about the serious looking man in his leather bike outfit holding a bunch of flowers in his hand and asking Junmyeon out. The image made Chen snort, Mr.Oh was definitely a sappy romantic. Him and Junmyeon deserve each other. 

"I'm rooting for you two," Chen says, putting both first up and giving his owner an encouraging 'fighting!' gesture. To which Junmyeon laughed and replied his own gesture and a heartwarming thanks.

When Chen finishes his breakfast, Junmyeon offers to clean the dishes while nodding his head over to Chanyeol, a wordless instruction for the cat hybrid to go check up on him. He didn't need to tell Chen twice, Chanyeol's lack of movement was making him anxious.

"Chanyeol?," Chen asks while leaning over the couch arm rest and inspecting Chanyeol. "How are you feeling."

That look of discomfort from yesterday felt cranked up to eleven here. Chen swears under the dog hybrids strong musk he detects a pinch of distress, in extension distressing Chen. Their proximity to each other has them linked, more so on Chanyeol's side due to his dog hybrid nature. 

"I'm fine so far," Chanyeol says, his voice thick, eye still vacant. 

Chen sighs before walking around the footrest and sitting next to Chanyeol. Well, he was more like lounge next to Chanyeol, laying himself done much like he usually did on his favorite side of the couch, now with the addition of a large dog hybrid. Chen instinctively wrapped an arm over Chanyeol's stomach and rubbed his face into Chanyeol's bicep. The same thing he had been doing yesterday, providing some relief for the rutted dog hybrid.

Chanyeol's body turns slightly in the direction of Chen's embrace and a small kitten curl touches his lips at the action.

"So, about last night," Chen begins, making note how Chanyeol slightly shifts his head in the direction of Chen's voice but not his gaze. At least it's clear the dog hybrid was listening to him. "You never showed up to my room. Why even ask me to lock the door if you weren't coming eh?"

Chen allows annoyance to reach his tone as he speaks, sounding like his usual whiney self in the morning. 

"I already told you," Chanyeol says while finally looking at Chen. His gaze had softened, the dark spots under his eyes making him appear even more sympathetic. "It was just a precaution."

"Still," Chen huffed, avoiding Chanyeol's gaze and leaning his cheek back on the dog hybrid's bicep. "I stayed up all night thinking you were going to come."

Chanyeol doesn't respond any further, refocusing his gaze on the television instead. A feeling of unease settled in Chen's stomach but he doesn't push the topic further.

For now.

  
🐱🐶

  
Chanyeol spent most of the day stationary, moving from the couch sparingly to use the bathroom or to have lunch. As they ate, Chen pushed his chair up next to Chanyeol's so they kept close. When Chanyeol went to the bathroom, Chen anxiously waited outside only to latch on to Chanyeol once he returns.

Chen's heart ached when he realized his scent no longer eased Chanyeol's rut, not even wearing the dog hybrid's hoodie helped this time. Chanyeol wasn't even excusing himself to use his rut toy anymore, all the while the scent of distress grows stronger.

Chen still held on, cuddling and reassuring Chanyeol the best he could. 

"Okay, I'm heading out," Junmyeon says while adjusting the collar of his shirt. He looked dashing in his dark gray suit and white dress shirt, hair swooped into his signature coma that made him look like royalty. 

Chanyeol had returned to his spot on the couch with Chen still holding him close. He began stroking the dog hybrid's head a while ago, noticing it relieved some of Chanyeol's stress to no surprise. 

"When will you be back?," Chen asks, he momentary halts his hand on Chanyeol's head and the dog hybrid makes a cute low whine of displeasure, getting Chen to snicker. 

"Let's see," Junmyeon checks his Rolex, "It's nine right now. So one or two maybe?"

"Oh?" Chen chuckles, "Gonna be home late? Mr.Oh going to keep you busy."

"Enough of that." Junmyeon whined in embarrassment. "We are just spending time at a bar his friend owns. Nothing crazy is going to happen."

"Mnhm," Chen replied unconvinced before rubbing his head against Chanyeol's arm. "You go have your fun out there while Chanyeol and I throw the biggest block party ever."

"As if you'd do that," Junmyeon snickered while adjusting his royal blue tie. However he turns back to the hybrids with a worried expression on his face. "You won't actually do that will you?"

"Us? Of course not." Chen hums playfully while looking up at his owner with innocent kitten eyes. The effect would have been enhanced with Chanyeol's puppy eyes, but the dog hybrid was way too out of it, gaze fixed on the Korean comedy drama that wasn't getting a laugh out of him.

Junmyeon regards his hybrids for a moment before shaking his head with a smile. The obvious 'what am I going to do with you' look.

"Later guys," he says and places his hands on both hybrids heads and combing his fingers through their scalps, caressing their sensitive ears in the process. 

The reaction is immediate, with Chen purring and pushing his head up into the touch. Chanyeol for the first time that day displays a behavior coming close to normal, he too pushed up into Junmyeon's hand and whimpered in delight. Their hybrid owner lingers on Chanyeol for a bit seeing how the physical contact brought the dog hybrid back to life. But he couldn't stay.

When Junmyeon removed his hand, a small weak whine came from Chanyeol's chest, prompting Chen to use his own hand to calm the dog hybrid. Chen knew his own touch could never compare to an owners hand, but he had to do something. Especially with how pitiful Chanyeol's sounds.

"Don't stay up too late," Junmyeon reminds them before leaving out the front door.

  
Around ten pm they sat down to eat, with Chen in his usual spot at Chanyeol's side. Once he finished his portion Chen wrapped his arms around Chanyeol's waist and sighed, patiently waiting for the dog hybrid to finish. 

The silence was deafening, especially without Junmyeon chirping one of his ridiculous quips. Chen never thought there would be a time where he would actually miss Junmyeon's terrible dad jokes. 

"Does anything hurt?" Chen asks.

Chanyeol mumbled a 'no', all attention fixed on the food. Chen hummed in response, failing to hide a disgruntled pout from his lips. Chanyeol finished his dinner and Chen offered to wash the dishes this time. The dog hybrid puts up little protest when Chen hissed and fussed, telling him to go sit on the couch while he cleaned up. 

Chen thoroughly scrubs the plates and bowls, ignoring his basal instinct to lick the surfaces. Gripping his chopsticks between his lips was a big help. 

There is a sound from the living room that alerts Chen, a soft groan that he quickly registers to be coming from Chanyeol. Worried, he sets the last dish down in the sink and swipes a kitchen towel to dry his hands on the way over to the dog hybrid.

"Chanyeol?" Chen asks, reaching the couch and seeing said hybrid leaning his head against the back of the couch with his hand over his face. "What's wrong?"

"M'fine"

Bull shit, Chen thinks to himself but doesn't vocalize his disbelief. Instead cat hybrid takes a long sigh before plopping himself next to Chanyeol and squishes his cheek against Chanyeol's bicep. He narrowed his eyes at the dog hybrid and looking admittedly cute instead of intimidating. 

"You've never been a good liar." Chen pointed out, the whine in his tone further adding to his cuteness.

"I didn't say I was excellent." Chanyeol laughed softly. 

"You mean how you're doing? Or you being a liar?" Chen mused, enjoying the sound of Chanyeol timber laugh. 

They were watching some kind of game show were human contestants had to guess the species of the hybrids featured. There is one hybrid who stumped most of the contestants with her almost completely human form other than the fluff around her ears and red eyes. She was dark skinned, coming from southeast Arabia. 

Chen didn't have enough time to come up with a prediction before the answer was revealed. It turned out she was a rare dove hybrid. Lifting up the back of her shirt, she had two fluffy feather patches on her shoulder blades where her wings would have been had she not contracted a rare bone disease.

"Wow," Chen gawked in amazement, "She's gorgeous! What do think Chanyeol?" He turns his attention to the dog hybrid for his input on the exotic beauty. 

Chanyeol watches quietly before nodding his head in response, clearly spaced out like yesterday. It makes Chen sigh in exasperation before continuing to watch the show in silence.

Eventually Chen speaks up.

"I could have help you last night."

Chanyeol doesn't respond. 

Chen pushes again.

"I'm not going to break you know."

Still no response from Chanyeol.

"Damn it," Chen's frustration rises to the surface. "You think I like seeing you like this eh? A walking ball of tensio-"

Chen is caught of guard by Chanyeol yanking himself out of his hold with a ferocious snarl. Chanyeol glares at him with such anger that Chen is frozen speechless. 

"I'm not going to use you."

Chanyeol's voice is terrifyingly calm juxtaposed with his ferocious appearance. Then the dog hybrid gets up from the couch and walks to the staircase, leaving behind a shocked cat hybrid.

🐱🐶

It's half past twelve and Chen can't sleep. Not even the rough sleep from the previous night was enough to coerce his slumber.

A few hours earlier, Chanyeol had yelled at him and went in early for the night, not sparing another glance or a 'Goodnight to Chen. He waited for hours thinking the dog hybrid would come back, but when the time nears twelve, Chen gives up, heading to his own room to sulk.

Thinking back on it, Chen realized that pushing Chanyeol probably wasn't the best thing he could have done. He had been beating around the bush, trying to signal to Chanyeol 'Hey, I think it's okay for you to fuck me if it means your rut is resolved'. Had he come out with that from the start then maybe things would have been different. 

Instead Chen is lying in bed, restless from the scent of Chanyeol's distress coming from down the hall. It's driving him crazy.

'I'm not going to use you.'

The only reason Chanyeol doesn't want to use him is because of his past. To be honest, Chen wasn't sure he could do it himself. The thought of relapsing has crossed his mind many times and not just during Chanyeol's rut. Even before, once he has finally come to terms with his feelings for the dog hybrid. 

Chen already knows that his greens zones have expanded. Hell, he's not even sure if he needs zones anymore considering how comfortable he is around Chanyeol.

But to become romantically involved... well...

Chen bit his lip as he stared at his door, contemplating his options before finally coming to a conclusion. 

He's made up his mind.

Chanyeol needs his help.

He can think about their relationship later. Right now the dog hybrid needed him.

Chen gets out of bed and makes his way out of his room, nothing but an oversized t-shirt and underwear on. He pads his way down the hallway, the patter of his bare feet on the hardwood floor disturbing the silence. The pounding of his heart rang in his ears as he approached Chanyeol's room.

Chanyeol's scent was strongest in front of his door, not as sweet and inviting as when Chen was in heat, or in the beginning of Chanyeol's rut. The scent was now masked with traces of discomfort, no doubt another dog hybrid would have sensed it ten time stronger than a cat hybrid would.

Carefully, Chen opens the door and peeks his head in to the dog hybrid's room, a frown touching his lips once he spots Chanyeol wrapped in his sheets. It reminded Chen of the time when Chanyeol caught a nasty fever, hiding his large frame under the covers and looking smaller.

Making his way to Chanyeol's side, Chen's sensitive ears pick up on uneven breathing coming from the lump of blankets. 

"Chanyeol," Chen says softly and frowns deeper when said the dog hybrid pulls the covers tighter around himself and shifts away from the cat hybrid.

Will he still not accept his help? Even after reaching this awful state?

Chen's gaze traveled to a corner of the room and spotted Chanyeol's heat device, broken on the floor. His heart sank, knowing exactly what it's like to feel unsatisfied and frustrated. 

"Chanyeol," Chen places his hand on the lump of blanket, it twitches under his touch. 

"Please..."

Chanyeol's voice is quiet, barely reaching Chen's folded ears.

"Go back to bed. It doesn't hurt anymore. I'll be fine in the morning, back to my usual self. I promise."

Lies. All lies.

Chen tugs the blanket off and the dog hybrid provides little resistance. Chanyeol is wearing one of his white graphic t-shirts with pajama pants. He's facing the wall, away from Chen. The stiffness in his body is more apparent than ever, his breath more haggard. 

Oh Chanyeol. 

All of Chen's doubts fly out the window and he embraces the ailing hybrid, wrapping his arms around Chanyeol and rubbing his face into Chanyeol's shoulder. 

"Pease use me." Chen whispered, starting to sound desperate. "You need to. Your rut device doesn't work and you're in pain. I can smell it."

As he speaks, Chen's hands wonder around the dog hybrid's torso, upset when there is no response. 

So he became more aggressive.

Chen crawled on top of Chanyeol so that that he was lying over the dog hybrid's large body, it wasn't an issue given Chen's petit form. It wasn't as if he could cage Chanyeol in, as a matter of fact if Chanyeol wanted to he could probably fling Chen off with ease.

But Chanyeol remains stiff as a board.

The cat hybrid's hands explore, much like how they did during Chen's heart, mapping out all the dips and crannies of Chanyeol's excellent body. Every once in a while Chanyeol will shudder when fingers pass over a particularly sensitive spot. 

Because Chanyeol isn't saying anything or vocalizing a protest to his ministrations, Chen proceeds cautiously but assertively, doing his best to demonstrate confidence.

Let Chanyeol know he won't break.

"Chanyeol," Chen murmured, voice low and sultry, allowing his breath to tickle the dog hybrid's soft ear. He purposely glides his hand down Chanyeol's clothed chest and ghosts just above the pant line, his fingers touch the very edge of Chanyeol's growing election. 

"Fuck me."

"Chen," Chanyeol gasps, finally reacting to the cat hybrid's touch and pulling away.

Chen lets him, resisting the urge to reach out again. Maybe it's the fact that Chanyeol's scent has switched from distressing to arousing, or maybe it was Chen's own growing arousal from this situation. Not only was he getting an erection from this but also a familiar moistness in the back of his underwear that on any other day would have him turning red in crippling embarrassment. But not tonight, knowing what he must do for both him and Chanyeol to find piece of mind. 

"Chanyeol, I'm being serious," Chen says, only scooting a centimeter closer to the dog hybrid, who was now hugging his shins and leaning his head on his knees. It was a display that only further boosted Chen's determination. 

"I'm willing to help you during your rut. Just like when you helped me during my heat remember?" When Chanyeol doesn't interject, Chen continues. "I trust you. I'm not going to break. Really."

Chen slowly moves closer so that he's kneeling in front of Chanyeol's folded legs, tilting his head to try and peek at the dog hybrid's face and displaying the best reassuring smile he could muster. 

None of it was a lie, Chen truly trusted Chanyeol, especially with something like this. He hasn't met another hybrid with the same kind of self control over their instincts as Chanyeol. It's amazing, and simultaneously hot. Perhaps that's why Chen fell so hard for him.

"You don't understand."

Chanyeol suddenly speaks up, the grave tone of his voice unsettled Chen. 

Confused, Chen gives a questioning hum.

"I can't do it again." Chanyeol finally looks up at him, an expression of pure agony across his face, his pretty caramel eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Chen's stomach drops, “What do you mean?"

He watches as Chanyeol anxiously licks his lips, one of his large hands rakes through his scruffy black hair as if to comfort himself. Chen wants to run his own fingers through the dog hybrid's hair, maybe even scratch behind his ears. But he doesn't want to become a distraction, instead waiting for Chanyeol to collect his thoughts and explain.

"My previous home," Chanyeol begins, "they had me do things for them that were..." Chanyeol takes a shaky breath and Chen damn near holds his. 

"I had an owner who would make me eat these pills that were supposedly to moderate my rut. But instead they boosted it, made me more aggressive, more... dangerous. He wanted to use me for this thing with his friends hybrids."

Chen's heart sank upon realizing what type of person had previously owned Chanyeol. 

"They would... get cat hybrids... and ... and make me ..."

Chanyeol is a mess already, his breath hitching as he tries to keep his composure to explain, but Chen doesn't need to hear anymore. 

Without hesitation, Chen lunged forward and hugged the dog hybrid who begins to wail in complete agony. Chen tries his best to hold back his own tears. 

He had zero idea Chanyeol went through that.

"I should have told you," Chanyeol sobbed. "I thought I could forget everything that happened but when my rut came I- I just..."

Chanyeol could barely talk through his meltdown, desperate cries and whimpers spilling out of him. Chen continues to embraces the dog hybrid, rubbing circles into his back and shushing him softly.

"When I begged them to stop they threatened to leave me." Chanyeol's sobs slowly die down, voice still shaky, "They would leave the house unannounced and I'd be alone for months. I was so scared of being alone." 

Chen pulls his arms away only to cup the dog hybrid's face between his palms. Chanyeol's nose and cheeks are flushed red from his crying, his eyes are closed and the tears make his eyelashes appear thicker. His ears remain drooped, making him look smaller, delicate even. Chen affectionately rubs his thumbs over Chanyeol's cheeks to wipe away the tear tracks, finding the little hiccups from the dog hybrid to be cute.

"Chanyeol," Chen murmured, "Look at me."

Chanyeol does as he is told, his beautiful caramel eyes glistening like jewels in the faint moonlight. In this disheveled state Chanyeol still looks gorgeous. 

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." Chen leans his forehead against Chanyeol's, "What that person did to you was cruel and you didn't deserve that."

Chen's words come from the heart, closing his eyes and reciting what he tells himself every time his own past resurfaces.

"You're okay now. You belong to Junmyeon and me. You're so strong Chanyeol." As Chen speaks he could practically feel the other hybrid unwinding, becoming more relaxed. "We will never abandon you. Never."

Chanyeol sighs deeply after that, placing his large hands over the cat hybrid's smaller ones. Chen opens his eyes to meet Chanyeol's loving gaze, so filled with warmth that Chen might just melt on the spot.

"Thank you," Chanyeol says, voice thick after crying. 

"Don't mention it," Chen replies, flashing the other hybrid his signature kitten curl. There air between them becomes more comfortable, a comfy silence falling between them as they gaze into each other's eyes.

"Man, I feel like shit," Chanyeol piped up with a snort. "I have my rut and my past coming to decimate me."

Chen laughed at the dog hybrid's successful attempt to lighten the mood. 

"Well at least you told me about it, your past. It's best to get it off your chest before you bury it like me." Chen chuckles, fingers pinching Chanyeol's cheeks softly. "As for your rut..."

Chen crowds even closer, pushing Chanyeol's knees apart so he's further inside the dog hybrid's space.

"I still want to help you."

Chanyeol eyes grow wide. "Still want to help? Even after hearing about what I did?" His question is accompanied by an awkward laugh, meaning Chanyeol still wasn't entirely sure about this.

But Chen was determined. 

Without a word, eyes fixed with Chanyeol's, Chen took Chanyeol's hands and placed them on his waist. 

The same spot Chen first ran away from Chanyeol. 

The same spot Chanyeol wrapped around his waist as they slept on the couch.

The same spot that was once a red zone.

Not anymore. 

It's almost comical how wide Chanyeol's eyes grow, a shocked gasp falling from his lips. Chen only smirks, sliding Chanyeol's warm hands down his waist and over his thighs. 

As Chen suspected, it felt good to feel Chanyeol's hands on him, much like Junmyeon's touch it was far beyond pleasant, especially since his legs were exposed.

"Chen you-"

"Chanyeol," Chen interrupts, allowing a purr to reach his tone as he nuzzles the side of Chanyeol's face with his nose, pleased when Chanyeol doesn't pull away. 

"Touch me."

The dog hybrid's scent grows thick with arousal proving that this was indeed working. Chanyeol carefully caressed Chen's body, gaze fixed on his face to pull away at the slightest hint of Chen's discomfort. 

Chen purred and moaned under Chanyeol's touch, giving in to his primal desire for physical contact from the other hybrid. He's wanted to do this for so long, making this feel all the more amazing. A satisfied mewl passes his lips when Chanyeol cups his throat, thumbs grazing his adam's apple.

"Are you sure about this?" Chanyeol asks once again, his breath ghosting over Chen's face, his caramel eyes filled with lust.

Chen nuzzles into Chanyeol neck, mewling louder with want and desire. 

Yes. God yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, hope you enjoyed that!
> 
> To be honest, this was one of the most difficult chapters to write primarily because I had to constantly rewrite and go over Chen's internal conflict and try to pit his desire to help Chanyeol against his instincts of self preservation due to his past.
> 
> For the reveal of Chanyeol's past, I had made some hints to it in the first chapter and wanted to fill the following chapters with nothing but fluff from Chanyeol to sort of highlight how he masks his trauma differently than Chen. And then of course when his rut appears he comes completely different. 
> 
> And then, of course their is their feelings for one another that have yet to be addressed. But that will come soon. Trust me. 
> 
> Next chapter will definitely resolve all the painful sexual tension between them I promise lol.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> ~Renard


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyyyy! How yall doin!? It's been a hot minute hasn't it?
> 
> Well I'm back at it with another chapter!
> 
> This took some time for this to come out because I've been settling in my new apartment and focusing on getting back into the university mindset again. It's honestly difficult to write when I have other responsibilities going on so I'm trying to manage my time properly so I can finish important work early and return to my writing. 
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoy the conclusion of my little hybrid story.
> 
> And like I say before every chapter, please excuse any spelling or grammatical mistakes I might make, I'll eventually correct them.
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> ~Renard

Hybrid lust isn't the same as humans. It incorporated more than sight and touch like regular sex. It's also smell, taste, and sound. This was more relevant to certain hybrid types. Dog hybrids especially. 

Back in Chen's heat, he had been holding back from indulging in most aspects of hybrid sex because a.) He just needed Chanyeol's knot, and b.) The threat of relapse was too high. Also, as a cat hybrid, Chen didn't need to use all of his senses like Chanyeol. Though now that he thought about it, Chanyeol must have been dying when Chen used him, wanting to indulge in the cat hybrid's body to the fullest. 

Now it looks like Chanyeol is finally getting what he wants. 

Chen is now face down on the bed, positioning his rear up in a way that has a blush dusting his cheeks. He still has his shirt and underwear on at the moment as he patiently waited for Chanyeol to return from the bathroom.

There are butterflies fluttering in his stomach just thinking about what he and Chanyeol are about to do, his underwear developing a moist spot in the back. 

He isn't scared in the slightest, knowing Chanyeol won't hurt him. But again, it's hard not to feel nervous over willingly giving himself up to a rutted dog hybrid. It's been years but Chen still remembers how rough a dog hybrid can be in this state, even if they aren't trying to hurt him. 

Chen dropped a hand between his legs and began gently fondling his cock over his underwear, releasing breathy sighs of pleasure. He's going to need to will his body to imitate a heat, not a difficult feet given how insanely turned on he was from Chanyeol's heady scent alone.

"Starting without me?"

Startled, Chen pulls his hand away and peaks behind him to see Chanyeol in nothing but dark blue boxers, his fantastic physique on full display. 

Chen shuddered when their gazes lock, Chanyeol's eyes darkening with want, it has Chen preening. There isn't any need for him to prompt the dog hybrid any further. He walks towards Chen without a shred of hesitation, only further boosting Chen's arousal. 

This is it. They're going to fuck.

Chanyeol crawls over the smaller hybrid, Chen lowing himself to provided more room as Chanyeol buried his face into his silver hair. There is something big and hard pushed up against his rear and Chen bites his lip hard when a pinch of uncertainty swims in his stomach. 

Fuck, not again. 

"You're shaking" Chanyeol points out.

Chen shook his head, burying his face into his forearms and willing himself to get a grip. It's frustrating, how much he desires Chanyeol's touch but his body still won't completely allow it.

A warm hand travels up his side in a soothing manner, fingers teasing his ribs, getting Chen to release the breath he had been holding.

"It's just me," Chanyeol murmured above his head, the hand traveling up and down Chen's side, "No one else."

Chen pants for a moment, taking in air and controlling his breathing. He squeezes his eyes shut and places the dog hybrid in the center of his thoughts.

It's just Chanyeol. 

It's just Chanyeol. 

It's just Chanyeol. 

Eventually, Chen's breathing returns to normal, a wave of calm passing over him and he relaxes underneath the larger hybrid. 

He can do this. He knows he can.

Chen's cotton shirt is lifted and he feels warm lips make contact with his upper back, making him shudder. 

"Take this off."

Chanyeol's voice is soft, barely a hint of authority in it. But still Chen obeys without protest, the incentive off pleasuring the dog hybrid was very much convincing indeed. Chen pulls his oversized shirt off and shivers once the cool room air touches his heated skin.

Chen makes a cute noise of surprise when Chanyeol pulls him up so that his back was flush with a toned chest. Chanyeol's mouth is on the juncture of his neck and shoulder, using his teeth to tease the soft flesh. Large hands rub up and down Chen's front, rough pads running over his sensitive skin. They travel down his sides, over his soft belly, then up his chest.

Chanyeol teases over a sensitive nipple and Chen keens, throwing his head back against Chanyeol's shoulder and moaning wantonly. He might just cum from this alone if Chanyeol doesn't lighten up.

"Wait ... ngh don't..." 

Chen's breath hitches when Chanyeol squeezes his chest like a pair of tits and he cums suddenly, a broken low moan passing his kitten lips. He's shocked, never having orgasmed like that in his life. His thighs tremble, cock kicking back to life from underneath his underwear, a wet spot turning the fabric darker.

Chanyeol chuckled behind him like a sex God toying with a mortal. 

"That was hot," Chanyeol says before lapping at Chen's ear, an innocent act made lewd by their position. "You cat hybrids are so sensitive." Chanyeol's hands return to caressing Chen's body, seeking to rile him up again.

"Cha... Chanye-," It's hard for Chen to get a word out when Chanyeol is petting him like crazy, practically worshiping him with his long fingers. It also didn't help that the other hybrids tongue was lapping affectionately at the flap of his ear, making Chen's heart flutter. 

"You should take these off now," Chanyeol croons while hooking his fingers in the waist band of Chen's underwear. "They're soaking wet."

Now that Chen is paying attention, they were indeed soaked with his slick and semen, making his face burn in shame for being this turned on so early. Chanyeol hasn't even put anything in him yet.

Chen obediently removes his underwear, a lewd string of slick stinking to the fabric. He hears Chanyeol growl and Chen feels the hair at the back of his neck stand up from how possessive the dog hybrid sounds. Shyly, Chen takes a peek at the other hybrid and he gasps.

Chanyeol looks so fucking feral right now, like he was about to shape-shift into a crazy dog. His eye are so dark, missing any sliver of pretty caramel. His nostril flared as he took in the cat hybrid's sweet scent. 

But instead of being frightening. It was hot. Really hot.

"What are- Stop looking at me like that." Chen stutters, ember eyes wide like saucers as he hugs himself. He's completely flushed as the dog hybrid's gaze travels shamelessly over his body, eyeing him like a delicious meal.

Chanyeol locks his eyes with the flustered cat hybrid again before licking his lips. Then he smirks, "Sorry, It's just..." He crawls closer to Chen, "You're so pretty."

Chen was about to whine at Chanyeol's embarrassing statement when the dog hybrid reaches out and touches him on his lower back, the spot where his tail used to be. Out of reflex, Chen flinches at the contact but doesn't shy away, letting Chanyeol gently graze the faint scar with the pad of his thumb.

On Chen's lower back is an X shaped marking that is about an inch wide in length and height, barely visible now that time has past. When his tail was removed four years ago, Chen experienced phantom pain for months until the nerves finally settled down. The surgeons were able to safely detach his tail without compromising his spine, a procedure that doesn't go smoothly 90 percent of the time. Chen was one of the lucky few.

"It doesn't hurt," Chen reassures, seeing how Chanyeol's eyebrows are pinched in what might be concern as his thumb rubs the scarred flesh. The sensation felt more weird than painful, since the nerves no longer work. Chen couldn't feel Chanyeol's callused fingers, just a peculiar pressure at the base of his spine.

Then, Chanyeol narrowed his eyes and released a menacing growl from his chest, startling the cat hybrid.

"Those bastards did this to you." Chanyeol said, voice filled with venom. 

Chen already knows who the dog hybrid is talking about, a soft sigh passing his lips as he reaches up and rubs Chanyeol's upper arm. He does it to calm the angered dog hybrid, the corners of his lips ticking up when Chanyeol's growls die down.

His previous owners loved doing all sorts of things with his tail that no sane or decent hybrid owner would even think about doing. By the time it was removed, Chen had already lost the ability to move it properly, each attempt only leading to pain.

"I don't miss it." Chen reassures, taking the hand away from his scar and holding it between his own hands, still marveled by how large it is compared to his. He rubs his soft cheek against the backs of the long digits, allowing a purr the rumble in his chest. "That thing would get stuck in doors and knock objects off counters all the time." Chen's tail never did those things but he wanted the dog hybrid to know the loss of his tail didn't bother him.

Chen's statements seem to appease the dog hybrid, his eyes becoming lustful once again. That look sends liquid fire shooting up Chen's veins, his body becoming hyper sensitive once again.

Chanyeol pushes him down onto the bed face up, making himself comfortable between Chen's legs. Chen instinctively raised his hands to place them against Chanyeol chest and the feeling of hard muscle underneath his fingertips sends arousal straight to his gut. Chanyeol must pick this up because he released a timber laugh before carefully lowering himself above the cat hybrid, bracketing Chen between his forearms and allowing their chests to touch. Chen felt pinned in place, but for the first time it didn't feel frightening. He could feel Chanyeol's chiseled abs against his soft stomach, further turning him on. 

"How are you feeling?" Chanyeol asks, taking on a softer tone as he leans his forehead against Chen's. It's obvious what he's asking about, even in this lustful state Chanyeol is always careful, always placing his attention on Chen's wellbeing first.

Chen didn't feel any sensation of uncertainty in his chest or stomach since his body took on Chanyeol's weight.

"Hot and bothered," Chen replies with a slightly impatient tone, drawing another laugh out of the dog hybrid. Unfortunately, Chanyeol still had his underwear on, his clothed bulge still hidden for now.

"Can I be honest with you?" Chanyeol asks, fingers teasing the edges of Chen's ears, keeping him sensitive. 

"I've been thinking about that night, when you came to me in heat," Chanyeol continued when Chen doesn't respond, his mind too fuzzy from the stimulation, but his cheeks darken when the dog hybrid mentions that night. 

"You looked so hot above me," Chanyeol dipped down and glided his lips against Chen's heated cheek. "I wanted to touch you so bad."

As Chanyeol says this, he trails his lips down Chen's jaw and tease his neck, making the cat hybrid shudder. 

"So what are you waiting for?" Chen murmured, trying his best to stay coherent when Chanyeol's mouth and tongue were messing with his mind. He wanted nothing more than to thrust up into Chanyeol and reach his own climax. However, he knows he has to wait, go at the dog hybrid's pace. Chanyeol was the one who needed help.

A hot laugh comes from the dog hybrid, his breath tickling Chen's wet neck before pulling back to look him in the eyes.

"Patience kitten."

Fuck, Chen thinks to himself. The nickname turns him into a puddle underneath the confident dog hybrid. Literally, with how he was drenching the bed with his slick at this point. 

"I'm going to worship every inch of you." Chanyeol's hands wonder Chen's body, paying more attention to his hips and thighs. 

Chen wanted so bad to yell at the cocky dog hybrid 'Fuck me already!' but his inner cat instincts returned upon his body being touch again. He threw his head back and released small gasps and purrs from the contact. Chen falls into a soothing trance and Chanyeol practically gives him a massage all over, leaving no place untouched. 

All except his rock hard erection. It's infuriating. 

"Chanyeol", Chen whined, sounding more like a moan. " Come on."

A warm tongue laths over Chen's adam's apple and his breath hitches, his cock twitching. Chanyeol's tongue descends down and begins lapping at a hardened nipple.

Chen cries out, his entire body spasms from the stimulation. His arms flail before Chanyeol captures his wrists, pinning them to the bed. Lapping then turns to intense sucking, causing broken moans to spill from Chen's lips.

"Chanyeol that-," Chen tries to speak through the uncontrollable moans of pleasure. He struggles against his restraints, cheeks and chest flushing red.

"What?" Chanyeol asks after releasing the nub with a sinful pop. "Don't want to cum from this?" Before Chen can reply, Chanyeol dips back down to give his other nipple the same treatment. 

Chen's head is practically buzzing now, unable to think clearly or say anything other then broken cries of Chanyeol's name. He had absolutely no idea his chest was this sensitive. Or maybe that’s because it's Chanyeol. 

"Stop teasing." Chen finally gets an arm free and grips the back of Chanyeol's head just tight enough not to be painful. He isn't going to last much longer if the dog hybrid keeps this up.

"But I like teasing you," Chanyeol moved to plant wet kisses at Chen's sternum, giving his sensitive nubs a rest. "It's so satisfying watching you fall apart."

"You- ah!" Chen is cut off by Chanyeol running his free hand down the inside of his thigh before finally touching his clock, giving the shaft a few deep strokes. Chen's climax hits him hard, he moans louder than before throwing his head back and cumming all over himself.

"So pretty when you cum." Chanyeol groaned before sliding down to clean Chen's stomach with his tongue.

Chen pants and takes a moment to come down from his high, gaze fixed on the dog hybrid licking the cum off him. Chanyeol seems to enjoy doing this, eyes closed and soft groans radiating from his chest. It's a very erotic scene, only for Chen's view.

But soon enough, Chen realizes what just happened and is jolted out of his revere.

"Ya!" Chen yells angrily, startling Chanyeol and making him look up at Chen in confusion. "You made me cum to soon! I didn't even enter sub space yet!" 

Chen was furious, sub space was the only way for his body to be able to accept Chanyeol's knot, putting him in a state close to when he's in heat. Now that he's orgasmed for the second time it's going to take forever to get hard again.

Chanyeol just blinks up at the agitated cat hybrid before he bursts into laughter, making Chen's cheeks burn.

"Sorry. Guess I got a little too carried away. You were just so responsive." Chanyeol rubs apologetic circles into Chen's hipbone.

Chen squirmed on the moist sheets, prompting them to move to the other side of the bed where it's drier. Of course, he isn't that angry at Chanyeol, but this means that the dog hybrid is going to need to wait longer to receive his release. 

Still a bit pissy, Chen begins stretching to get rid of some of his frustration, purposely ignoring the dog hybrid for a moment.

"Hey." 

Chen initially looks at Chanyeol with a disgruntled pout before it's replaced with a gasp.

Chanyeol is watching him again with those eyes, the ones from his first morning in rut. The eyes that wanted him to submit. One of Chanyeol’s large veiny hands wrapped around his hardened shaft. It was at full length and Chen's throat felt dry as a desert. God, he forgot how fucking big Chanyeol was.

"Come here," Chanyeol ordered with a smirk. "I want to feel those pretty lips on me."

Chen was pretty sure his entire body must be flushed red right now, but he doesn't hesitate to crawl over to the insanely sexy dog hybrid. He instinctively licked his lips as he looks up at Chanyeol, ember eyes wide in anticipation. 

"Go on," Chanyeol chuckled, leaning back against the headboard so that he had a clear view of Chen. After a few pumps of his cock, he removes his hand and the massive prick stands at attention, knot reaching half its size for now.

Chen wastes no time leaning down and giving the hard shaft a few kitten licks. He's done this before, just not under circumstances where he actually wanted to. So, he closes his eyes and just works his mouth over Chanyeol's erection, getting used to the heavy taste and musk.

Most hybrids have an oral fixation, cats and dogs in particular. So naturally once Chen gets a taste for Chanyeol's cock, he can't stop. His velvet tongue travels up and down the thick shaft, moaning when he reaches the tip and is met by precum. It tasted of something wild and sweet, like something found deep in a forbidden forest. And Chen just couldn't get enough, sucking hard on the tip just to get some more.

A deep groan comes from above and Chen opens his eyes to see Chanyeol watching him closely, lips parted with shallow breaths. The dog hybrid looked almost as wrecked as when Chen was in heat, eyes glassy and filled with desire, lips wet and moist. Chen loved it.

Smiling mischievously against the pulsing cock, Chen opened wide and sank done on the shaft, keeping his ember eyes open just to see Chanyeol throw his head back and moan in pleasure. 

Chen had a pretty wide mouth with zero gag reflex, making him excellent at giving head. He just wasn't all that enthusiastic about sharing that fact with others. Though he would have no one else but himself to blame if Chanyeol suddenly becomes addicted to his mouth.

Honestly, Chen wouldn't mind, not with how good Chanyeol is filling him out, or with how good Chanyeol looks while getting head. He moans around the length, contracting his throat masterfully to heighten the pleasure.

"Fuck," Chanyeol rasps breathlessly, looking down at the cat hybrid with a stained expression, hair sticking to his forehead. Chen loves when Chanyeol curses or sounds filthy, it was such a lovely contrast to his usual sweet and considerate demeanor, making Chanyeol ten times hotter. 

Chen feels Chanyeol's knot grow at his lips and that’s his signal to pull off, the massive shaft sliding out with a lewd noise. The back of Chen's throat pleasantly burns, riling up his anticipation for what comes next.

Chanyeol reflexively bucks his hips up once to chase Chen's lips but he makes no other move to have the cat hybrid continue. 

"Come," Chanyeol says, scooting down so that he was lying completely horizontal on the bed now, "Sit on my face."

Chen flushes red all over, stuttering to come up with reply. But Chanyeol merely tugs the cat hybrid over so that plump thighs bracketed his head.

After sucking Chanyeol's cock for a few minutes, Chen had already grown considerably hard again and his hole was leaking more slick. When Chanyeol's tongue makes contact with his taint, Chen whines high and needy, at the mercy of the warm wet appendage. Chanyeol's hands grip him tightly at the hips, locking the cat hybrid in place to ravage him from below. 

Chen supposed if he was the best at giving head then Chanyeol was the best at rimming.

The wet muscle pushes into Chen's entrance and he keens in pleasure, hunching his spine and gripping the headboard for dear life. He begins to gyrate his hips down on Chanyeol's face, the dog hybrid putting up little resistance, even supporting the cat hybrid with his hands.

Pressure is building in Chen's gut and with a few more thrusts of Chanyeol's tongue, he finally enters subspace.

"Oh Chanyeol," Chen moans, tone dripping with want as he fucks himself on Chanyeol's face. "Please. I'm ready now."

Chanyeol removes his tongue and Chen's hole claps down on nothing. In his right mind, Chen would have found it embarrassing, but he couldn't care less at the moment, way too caught up with how his body is tingling in excitement and arousal. 

"Mmm, you taste delicious," Chanyeol snickered before moving Chen away so he sit back up. His lips and chin are glossy with slick, the visual making Chen's cock twitch in interest. 

"Get into position for me, kitten." 

Already knowing what to do, Chen frantically scrambles onto all fours, facing his rear towards Chanyeol. This is a dog hybrid's favorite position for knotting. 

"Perfect," Chanyeol croons, moving himself behind the ready and waiting cat hybrid. "You're such a good kitten."

"Chanyeol please..." Chen shuddered, the nickname still getting to him. It was a clear parallel to when Chen called Chanyeol 'puppy' back in his heat. Now he knows how the dog hybrid felt.

"Please what?" Chanyeol chuckles. He rubs the tip of his cock against Chen's plump cheek, smearing precum against the soft surface. "What do you want me to do?"

Chen swallowed, his breath becoming airier as he tries to formulate proper sentences. All his instincts wanted him to do was whine and moan like a feral cat in heat begging for a good fuck. His eyelids flutter as he focuses on what Chanyeol wants from him.

"Give me your knot." 

A short high-pitched noise comes from his lips when Chanyeol pokes his entrance with the tip of his cock. But he doesn't push in just yet.

"I will," Chanyeol says, voice deep with promise. "On one condition."

Chen feels like he's going mad. What the hell was Chanyeol doing? This was supposed to be centered around Chanyeol getting relief. So why was the dog hybrid taking so long to tease him like this?

"I want to hear you kitten," Chanyeol whispers in Chen's folded ear. "Wanna here how good I feel inside you."

He didn't notice when Chanyeol sunk down to lean over his body, too distraction by his own disheveled thoughts and the pounding of his heart in his ears. 

"Do we have a deal?" Chanyeol asks. Chen can't see his face but he could practically hear the devilish smile.

"Y-yes."

Chen cries out when Chanyeol pushed in, airy and high as the massive shaft stretches him inch by inch, deeper and deeper. His entire body is spasming from the stimulation, his nerves going haywire from the intrusion. 

Naturally, since Chen entered subspace, his walls open up for the shaft, but it was still a tight fit. 

A deliciously tight fit.

"Oh fuck!" Chen yells once he feels Chanyeol's knot bump up against his rim. He's being touched so deeply, something he hasn't experienced in a very long time, and almost never when he wanted it. 

"You good?" Chanyeol asks, there is a laugh to his voice but Chen can detect the strain. Even now, Chanyeol was still holding back, making sure not to hurt the smaller hybrid. A swell of affection grew in Chen's chest.

"Yeah," Chen moans, hot and heavy as he clamps down on the cock sitting inside him, "I'll be even better once you start fucking me."

The squeeze makes Chanyeol hiss before releasing a hot laugh, making Chen's stomach do flips.

  
"Alright. Hold on tight, kitten."

  
Chanyeol is more vicious then Chen initially thought, jackhammering his hips at a brutal pace, nailing Chen's sensitive prostrate with extreme accuracy. And Chen has no other choice but to take it, gripping the sheets and cracking his head up to scream in pure pleasure, his legs trembling from the strain of keeping his rear elevated.

  
"Yes! Oh fuck yes!" Chen sounded like a pornstar, filth spilling from his mouth without any shame. "It feels so good! So so good! Argh!"

  
Chanyeol doesn't reply, just chuckling before lapping and kissing the sensitive flap of Chen's ear, pleased groans radiating from his chest. 

  
The dog hybrid is practically caging Chen in with his large fame. Four years ago, he used to fear being in this position again, pinned and impaled underneath a ravenous dog hybrid. Forced open and losing all sense of dignity just to appease his masters.

  
But this was nothing like that. Chen was actually enjoying this, enjoying the wonderful drag of Chanyeol's cock against his walls, the musky scent of pine and wild flowers, the sound of Chanyeol groaning in delight above him. It was exhilarating. 

  
Finally, Chanyeol thrusts deeper than before and his knot is pushed passed Chen's rim. Tears start to fall from Chen's eyes as the pleasure overwhelms him. His speech is reduced to nothing but moans and whimpers, animalistic noises that came from his cat side. 

  
Chanyeol seems to give in to his wild side as well, his grunts and groans quickly becoming snarls and growls as he snaps his hips into Chen's heat. It's not long until Chanyeol's knot locks Chen in place, but the dog hybrid keeps going.

  
Chen finally tips over the edge with one loud cry of pleasure before cumming on the sheets below, his entire body spasming from the force. His vision blacks out for a moment and he almost thinks he’s going to fall unconscious until Chanyeol gives one final thrust, practically howling before filling the blissed out cat hybrid with his seed. 

It’s been years since Chen has felt this sensation before, of being filled to the brim with another hybrid’s essence. It has Chen humming in delight, his primal desires finally satisfied. 

Chanyeol slumps over the cat hybrid, not enough to crush him, but so their legs can rest.

  
Both hybrids are reduced to their primal state of mind. Chen mewls while leaning his head up to nuzzle Chanyeol's jaw. In response, Chanyeol rubs his nose into the side of Chen's head and whines low and deep. 

  
They make eye contact and words become obsolete, using their primal language to communicate until they return back to headspace. 

  
_That was amazing_ , Chen purrs while fluttering his eyelids at the dog hybrid.

  
_I aim to please_ , Chanyeol gives a little lick to Chen's ear once more and it makes the cat hybrid preen.

  
_Did it help with your rut?_

  
_We'll just have to wait and see._

  
_Okay..._

  
They stay cuddled like this until Chanyeol's knot finally recedes, their primal mood leaving with it. 

  
"Thank you," Chanyeol says once he regains his speech. 

  
"Don't mention it." Chen replies, pink dusting his cheeks from how Chanyeol was still rubbing his lips against his folded the ears, the intimacy of the action heating him up.

  
Chen gasps from the sensation of Chanyeol exiting his body, feeling the cum ooze out of him. He didn't even need to lift himself up to know that his own spunk was probably everywhere. Chanyeol can't sleep in this mess.

  
"We should clean up." Chen suggested before stretching himself out, wincing at the slight throb of his rear. It's probably going to feel even worse tomorrow but he tried not to focus too much on it. Right now, he just wanted to revel in the fact that he was able to help Chanyeol without relapsing.

  
At Chen's statement, a bizarre expression appears on Chanyeol's face for a moment. Maybe confusion or disappointment perhaps?

  
Regardless, Chen takes Chanyeol's hand and guides them in the direction of Chanyeol's bathroom. Then the dog hybrid's expression lights up all of a sudden, a bright smile on his lips as his tail wags at max speed. 

  
Chen's kitten curl makes an appearance at that.

  
They both shower together, taking turns washing each others hair and backs. As Chen tries to clean Chanyeol's tail the darn thing won't stop wagging, drawing out a fussy whine from the cat hybrid while the dog hybrid laughs. 

  
But this comfortable mood doesn't last long.

  
As Chen rinses the soap out of his hair, Chanyeol presences in closer, a warm wall right behind him. Chen glances up and is met by...

  
The Look.

  
They hold eye contact, deep ember staring into light caramel, their faces only inches apart. Chen is practically holding his breath, wondering if Chanyeol had the intention of closing the gap between them. 

  
Instead, Chanyeol raises a finger and swipes of some soap from Chen's cheek before pulling away. He had a smile on his face but his eyes were swimming with uncertainty. It's clear what Chanyeol wanted to do.

  
Chen mumbles a small thanks before shyly continuing to rinse himself off, his heart pounding in his chest. 

  
Deep down, Chen wondered what it would feel like.

  
For them to kiss again.

🐱🐶

"I can't believe this," BamBam paces the length of the patio in big strides. "You two fucked again!?"

"Yep," Chen said, eating a big spoon full of vanilla ice cream.

"Whoa," Jimin says in awe while setting a bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table.

The three of them were lazying about in Jimin's backyard patio until Chen dropped the news about what he had done with Chanyeol to BamBam, who is reasonably irate.

"What did I tell you about playing with Chanyeol's feelings? What made you think helping him during his rut would be a good idea?" BamBam fumes.

"I think it was very nice of you to do Chennie," Jimin chimes in.

Ever since Chen told Jimin about his complicated relationship with Chanyeol, the younger cat hybrid had been nothing but understanding, to absolutely no one’s surprise. 

"No, it wasn't," BamBam snaps, "Your giving Chanyeol mixed signals again. You already told him you weren't interested right? So now what is he going to think?"

Chen sighed before taking one last bite of his ice cream and quitting. "Well... here is the thing..."

"You actually like him." Jimin states it like a fact as simple as the sky is blue.

"You-", BamBam abruptly stops his furious pacing to turn to Chen, the anger slowly subsiding from his features upon the new realization. "Oh my God. You like him."

Chen set the tub of ice cream down on the coffee table and tucked his legs in to hold them, heat rising to his cheeks as he shyly avoids his friend’s eye contact. His silence is enough of an answer for them. 

"Oh my God, you really like him!" BamBam exclaimed and Chen hissed at him to be quiet, gaze flickering next door in fear that ether Chanyeol or Junmyeon would hear.

"Listen," Chen begins, leaning his head against his knees. "I only realized this recently okay? He grew on me and now ... well."

"Now you've been completely charmed by the doggy?" Jimin teases.

"Oh God don't call him that," BamBam says, rubbing his hands down his face before slumping on the patio couch opposite of Chen and Jimin. Then he sat up straight and leaned his elbow on his knees, his gaze turning serious. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know."

"Do you want to date him?" Jimin tilts his head, his tail swaying with curiosity.

"Well yeah, but..." Chen trailes off. 

He wanted to be with Chanyeol for sure. Especially after helping him with his rut. However, something has been nagging at the back of his mind for a few days now, making him hesitant to pursue the dog hybrid.

The memory of what Chen did to Chanyeol months ago still haunted him. When he dug his claws into Chanyeol's flesh upon feeling the dog hybrid's lips on his own. 

It's not like Chen hasn't thought about trying again. There have been times where it looked like Chanyeol was going to make the first move right before pulling back at the last moment. 

Although they definitely stepped up their cuddling with Chen no longer having red zones. Even Junmyeon managed to notice, expressing how proud he was of Chen's progress. 

Deep down, Chen really wanted to kiss Chanyeol more as a way to prove that he could in fact start all over. Pursue a relationship with a dog hybrid without allowing his past to intervene. 

But God was it terrifying.

"I want to date him, but... I don't know how."

"Just go back home and ask him out." Jimin states plainly.

"No don't do that," BamBam waves his hand, "You need to ask around the right time. Probably when Junmyeon isn't home just in case you two get too riled up and decide to bone or something."

Jimin drops a scandalized gasp while Chen buries his head between his knees and groans. 

"Just try to be natural about it." BamBam sunk down into the couch and folded his legs in a chill manner. "Like me."

"How did you and Jackson get together?" Chen questions, hoping his friend’s experience with dog hybrid dating would provide some help with his situation. 

BamBam's ears twitch and he suddenly becomes tense, "Uh well... we ... um," he stammered, "He caught me with just a towel around my waist and... confessed everything."

Jimin laughs while Chen swallows nervously, praying to whoever will listen that Chanyeol doesn't decide to pull something like that. 

"Man, maybe I should get myself a dog hybrid too," Jimin says, "Let's see," he playfully taps his chin with his index finger, "Should I go for V or Jungkook?"

"Oh my god," Chen groaned. 

"Don't do that, dog hybrids are very territorial. If you choose one then they might start fighting." BamBam says.

This was new to Chen. He didn't know something like that could happen. His thoughts traveled back to the new years party, how Chanyeol was acting strange towards Kai. The air around them didn't feel particularly hostile, but then again, he was a cat hybrid so what would he know about dog hybrid dynamics. 

"Hmm, then why don't I just have both?" Jimin laughed.

Chen and BamBam reacted differently. Chen whined while swatting at Jimin's shoulder, holding back a laugh at his friend’s silliness. Meanwhile BamBam made a loud cringing noise, not at the idea of a three-way relationship but more out of the idea of those two trouble making dog hybrids somehow being a part of it.

As BamBam continued to chastise Jimin for his choices in hybrid partners, Chen thought about Chanyeol. 

It's late so Junmyeon was already at home keeping the dog hybrid company. When Chen mentioned he was going to visit a friend next door he didn't miss how Chanyeol gave him a fearful look for a second before relaxing. A knot ties in Chen's gut when he realizes that what he had done almost a year ago still had an effect. So, he comforted the dog hybrid before he left, saying he'd be back in a bit.

"I'm heading back home," Chen days, getting up from his seat and straightening out his sweater.

"Bye," Jimin says, "Good luck with your puppy love."

"Yeah, good luck." BamBam says, clearly holding back from face palming at Jimin's statement. 

Chen waves to them before vaulting over the dividing wall of their property, leaving the two cat hybrids to continue their peculiar discussion on hybrid partners. He chucked under his breath as he heard Jimin purposely rile BamBam up by selecting bizarre traits for his theoretical mate. 

Walking up to his own patio, Chen spots Chanyeol sitting on the couch with a pillow in his arms and staring unblinkingly into the television. Then Junmyeon passes through the kitchen, taking bowls out of the cabinets to prepare dinner.

Chen stood there for a few seconds, allowing the scene to warm his heart.

This is his home.

"I'm back," he says while sliding the glass door open.

Chanyeol's face lights up upon seeing the cat hybrid return, a charming smile on his lips. "Was wondering when you'd get back. Your dinner is now safe from me."

"Pfft, as if," Chen replies, "You take my food regardless if I'm there or not." He walks over to the kitchen and the smell of dinner makes his stomach rumble. 

"Well you never stop me," Chanyeol chortles, follows at Chen's side.

Their arms brush up against each other and Chen gets goosebumps from Chanyeol's body heat. 

"I made kimchi stew," Junmyeon chirped while carrying the pot over to the center of the table. The delicious smell has Chen and Chanyeol playfully hovering beside Junmyeon like actual cats and dogs circling an owner with food. Junmyeon laughs at their antics while half-heartedly scolding them, claiming they were in his way and were going to make him drop it.

Dinner is comfortable, with Junmyeon telling the two hybrids about the new show he was working on and how it had a ton of new actors. 

"So, you're working with Mr. Oh again?" Chen questioned teasingly. 

"No, not this time," Junmyeon says, pink dusting his checks as he eats a spoon full of rice.

"Hmm?" Chanyeol hums in question with kimchi stuffing his mouth, eyes flicking back and forth between the cat hybrid and hybrid owner.

"Our Junmyeon has been seeing Mr. Oh Sehun, popular action movie actor and celebrity heart throb of the year," Chen did some research on the man after Junmyeon said he was dating him. He was definitely one of Seoul's rising stars.

"The man we met at the new year’s party? That's great!" Chanyeol says after swallowing his mouth full of kimchi. There is a spot of sauce on the dog hybrid's chin and Chen uses a napkin to wipe it off, an action that has become almost second nature to him now. Actually, he finds himself doing a lot of things for Chanyeol, fixing the collars of his shirts, or fixing his hair, or gently massaging his shoulders as they watch an intense episode of CSI:Seoul. 

"We are taking things slow for now," Junmyeon says happily. 

"If he moves in doesn't that mean Kai is coming with him?"

At Chanyeol's question, Chen choked on a piece of kimchi, coughing violently as his owner gave him a few good pats on the back. He hadn't even thought about Kai's place in all this. If Mr. Oh decides to move-in, or hell, Junmyeon just dating the man already inserted the other dog hybrid into their lives.

Once the piece of kimchi was no longer trying to kill him, Chen waves his hand at the concerned dog hybrid and hybrid owner to indicate that he was fine. 

"We haven't thought that far yet, Channie," Junmyeon says while pouring a glass of water for Chen. "But yes. Kai would come with him. Does that bother you?"

Chanyeol shrugs, an unreadable expression on his face, "Not really."

Chen scanned the dog hybrid's features, trying to get a sense of what he was thinking. 

'...dog hybrids are very territorial...'

Chen thought about BamBam's statement more, wondering if this also applied to Chanyeol. From what he has seen, Chanyeol is very friendly around the other dog hybrid's of the neighborhood. He has never fought or rough-housed like V and Jungkook would on occasion. And maybe that was a good thing considering that Chanyeol looked like he could do some serious damage in a fight.

"And what about you?"

Chen blinks at his owner after being disturbed from his thoughts, not understanding the question for a moment. 

"How would you feel about another dog hybrid?" Junmyeon asks, quirking an eyebrow with a hint of concern. 

"... I'd be fine with it." Chen says carefully. It's not as if he had any say on the matter. If Mr. Oh really decides to move in then Kai's presence would be inevitable. However, he was indeed ok with it. The cycle would just start again, the same cycle that he went through with Chanyeol. 

But there was something he was far more concerned about.

Chen side eyed Chanyeol as he continued to sip at his soup, a pinch of worry nagging at the back of his mind as he still couldn't read the dog hybrid. 

🐱🐶

  
_It's cold. A slight breeze ruffling Chen's dark grey trench coat as he stands frozen in place._

_A few meters in front of him is Chanyeol dressed in a light pink trench coat, his ears fluffier than ever in this cold._

_They're both standing in a city park, the hour is late based on how few people were out and about, lamps illuminating the chilly night._

_Chen doesn't recognize it as a place he's physically been before, but there is a peculiar familiarity to it that he can't quite put his finger on._

_Chanyeol is crying, for reasons unknown. But Chen can't shake the feeling that it was because of him. He's the reason Chanyeol is weeping like a lost child._

_Chen doesn't know what to say, but something had to be said. He felt his chest grow warmer as his heart pounded harder and louder in his folded ears._

_What should he say?_

_'Say I love you.'_

_Chen's breath hitches at the sudden thought._

_'If he had just said 'I love you' then the problem would be solved,'_

_Chen bites his lip, warmth filling his cheeks as he recalls the sweet memory._

_'If it were me, I'd say it over and over. Every day, every night. Never wavering once.'_

_That would be nice wouldn't it?_

_Chen can't help but allow a smile to touch his lips as he gazed at the weeping dog hybrid, clenching his fists and steeling his resolve._

_His lips move but he can't hear his voice for some reason._

_Regardless, Chanyeol seems to have heard it anyway, halting his cries and staring at Chen with wide caramel eyes._

_The look of surprise from the dog hybrid only motivated Chen to keep saying it._

_Over and over and over._

Chen woke up feeling surprisingly well rested.

He couldn't remember what he dreamed about last night but it must have been nice. There was a pleasant fuzzy sensation in his chest and stomach, a sensation that made him want to cuddle and mewl. 

It was like he was in heat again but without all the sexual frustration and awkward cat fussing. 

Chen stretched before leaving his bed and taking a shower.

This bizarre sensation continued all the way to when he reaches the kitchen, it seems to grow a little when he spots his owner cooking up breakfast. 

What's happening to him?

"Well good early morning to you." Junmyeon sing songs, not expecting to see Chen up around this time. The man had on his dark green apron with a duck and her ducklings on it, a gift from Chen last Christmas. Or maybe it was this Christmas, he couldn't remember at the moment.

"I'm making kimchi pancakes and eggs," Junmyeon says while placing a sunny-side-up egg onto a plate and grabbing another egg to cook. "Come help set the table."

Chen hummed in confirmation before beginning his task. Junmyeon was already done with the pancakes so Chen chose to set those down first. He was so tempted to just dig in, and on most mornings he would. But he seemed to have a lot of patience this time.

Why was he so soft this morning?

"G'morning" 

Chen hears the familiar timber of a deep voice and his heart flutters in his chest. He turns around from setting the table and the warmth in his chest grows tenfold when he spots Chanyeol enter the kitchen.

The dog hybrid looks to have just woken up, maybe brushed his teeth and washed his face before coming down. He had on that familiar black tank top that never failed to make his arms look good, a top Chen hasn't seen in a while now that he thought about it. 

"Sleep well?" Junmyeon asks, only glancing up to give Chanyeol a quick smile before returning his attention to the stove.

"Yup," Chanyeol chirps and walks over to the fridge to get some water. Judging by how well rested the dog hybrid looked, he must be telling the truth.

Chen kept his eyes on Chanyeol, his chest and stomach fluttering none stop. It was as if just looking at the other hybrid was enough to get Chen purring like a happy kitten. He had no idea what was going on but he had to bet closer. 

But he can't be awkward about it.

Trying to be cool, Chen told Junmyeon he was going to cut some fruit and made his way to Chanyeol's side. The dog hybrid's musk perforated Chen's nasal cavity but instead of making him horny, it made him feel even softer.

"What are you going to cut this morning" Chanyeol asks after taking a sip from his water bottle, a droplet sliding down his jaw. Chen had to fight the urge to wipe it off for him, worried he might try to touch Chanyeol's moist lips instead. 

Looking very kissable. 

"I'm going to cut some strawberries," Chen says, hating how his voice subtly cracked mid-way. Even thought he was standing in front of the open fridge, he felt his body heating up under Chanyeol's gaze. So, he quickly takes the box of strawberries and shuffles over to the cutting board. He needed to get a grip or else he might just slice his fucking fingers off.

Chen carefully removes the leafy stems off the little red berries and cuts them in half like how Junmyeon taught him. He tries not to get too lost in his thought while doing this task, he's already had a few accidents in the past-

Clank!

There is a loud sound in the kitchen that almost had Chen hacking off his index finger. He quickly spins around to see what had happened. 

The metal spatula Junmyeon was using is now on the floor at his feet, likely the cause of the noise. The sound had alarmed Chanyeol as well, the dog hybrid staring at Junmyeon with wide eyes, water bottle still in hand.

The hybrid owner's gaze is fixed on Chanyeol, features contorted into horror. 

"Are those scars on your shoulders?"

Junmyeon voice is trembling and Chen's stomach drops. He only sounds like then went he's scared or angry, and Chen wished neither of these were the case.

At the question, Chanyeol cowers a bit, shying his back away from the owner as if trying to hide it, his ears drooping in unease. It's been a while since Chanyeol has looked this uncomfortable. 

"Well..." Chanyeol glances at Chen, worry evident in his eyes.

They've been caught. 

"Chanyeol, go to your room."

Owner speak's strength is primarily determined by the owner's will, or their emotions. Junmyeon was angry, that much Chen could tell from the way his owner's neck tensed up, his expression on the other hand was very serious, he was clearly trying to keep calm.

Chanyeol reacted immediately, slowly making his way out of the kitchen, his ears drooping like he had been scolded. His gaze flicks to Chen and the fear in his eyes is obvious. This was his first time being influenced by Junmyeon's owner speak.

Chen made a move to approach, to explain himself, but Junmyeon snaps at him.

"Chen, stay right there."

Owner speak activates once again, this time aimed at the cat hybrid. It's influence ripples through Chen's body, all of his muscles simultaneously stiffening and locking him in place as he leaned against the kitchen counter. For a moment it felt like his lungs were going to pause as well, but he has experienced owner speak enough times to know not to panic, he breaths deeply and calmly.

Or at least tries too while his emotions are cycloning within him. 

Chen watches Junmyeon leave the kitchen and follow Chanyeol up to his room. He hears the door shut and that's when a ball of nerves begins to grow in his gut, his heart beating loudly in his folded ears as the seconds go by.

Naturally given his cat senses, Chen should be able to focus and faintly hear what Chanyeol and Junmyeon are saying. Unfortunately, Chen is way too distraught to focus on anything but his inner turmoil. 

Is Chanyeol going to tell Junmyeon everything? What will Junmyeon think of him now? Will he be distraught? Disappointed? Disgusted? 

It felt like hours had passed when Chen finally heard Chanyeol's door open, soft muffled murmurs coming from upstairs before a single pair of footsteps come down the stairs.

Knowing it's Junmyeon, Chen fears the worst. Chanyeol must have been scolded. Why else would Junmyeon have him stay in his room. God this is a mess.

And Chen felt like it's all his fault.

It's not until Junmyeon returns to the kitchen when Chen realized that his eyes had become glassy, blinking away his teary vision in order to look up at his owner. Junmyeon's face has an unreadable expression. It wasn't blatantly angry, but it wasn't pleasant either. Regardless Junmyeon looked very much upset.

When Junmyeon's gaze lands on Chen, his face seems to soften, but not by much. He stares at Chen for a few seconds before taking a long sigh, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter opposite the cat hybrid.

The silence from his owner sends Chen's anxiety spiking, already heightened by the lingering effects of owner speak on his body and his whirlwind of emotions. Each second felt like an agonizing eternity. 

Junmyeon must be so fucking disappointed in him. Chen believed he had overcome his past. Junmyeon would always commend and congratulate Chen whenever he made a step in the right direction to full recovery. But his behavior around Chanyeol, the things he did to the dog hybrid, only demonstrated that he hasn't changed at all.

He was still that same broken cat hybrid.

And now, Junmyeon was going to scold him. Scold him for hurting Chanyeol. For playing with Chanyeol's heart. For still being broken.

"So, are you going to tell me-"

"I love him!"

The words just sprang out of him, his voice cracking terribly from his panic and anxiety. It just happened. 

Junmyeon seems taken aback by Chen's sudden confession, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. 

"I love him." Chen repeated almost to himself as he dropped his gaze, his voice trembling. He gives into his nerves and begins to sob softly, whimpers and sniffles filling the quiet kitchen. If it weren't for the lingering effects of owner speak he would have collapsed by now.

Arms come around Chen, wrapping around his trembling form and pulling him into a comforting embrace. 

"Shh, it's okay," Junmyeon whispers in his ear, "Just relax Chennie. Take deep breath and relax."

Chen didn't realize how close he was to having a panic attack until Junmyeon released his owner speak. His body felt like jello as he leans into Junmyeon's body, resting his tear stained cheek against his owner's broad shoulder and taking deep breaths as instructed. The hands rubbing at the back of his head and upper back assist in helping Chen calm down a bit.

"I'm sorry I let you down," Chen says through stuttering breaths, his little fingers clutching at Junmyeon's shirt like a child.

"No Chen," Junmyeon tightens his grip on Chen, "You haven't let me down. There is nothing you could possibly do to make me think such a thing."

Junmyeon's words help to dim the burning fire of panic and helplessness in Chen's stomach. But the sensation of unease remains present.

"Now," Junmyeon pulls away a bit so he can look into Chen's puffy eyes, "Would you mind telling me what happened? How... this all started?"

It wasn't an order through owner speak, meaning Junmyeon was genuinely asking Chen to explain what happened. Chen knew if he provided any resistance Junmyeon wouldn't try to force answers out of him, more concerned with Chen's mental well-being. Chen appreciated that about Junmyeon a lot, giving him as much freedom of choice as possible. It was something nonexistent in his previous home. Freedom. 

"Okay," Chen replies, clearing his throat and drying his cheeks with his sweater sleeves. 

From there Chen explains everything.

He explained everything from when he accidentally left Chanyeol alone in the house. To when he used Chanyeol for his heat. To when he scarred Chanyeol's shoulders during their first kiss. Everything up till a few days ago, when Chen convinced Chanyeol to use him to satiate his rut.

The whole time, Junmyeon listens quietly, gently petting the back of Chen's head as if to wordlessly encourage the cat hybrid to continue. 

"Chen," Junmyeon begins once Chen is finished, "Why did you hide all this from me?"

Junmyeon tone is light, meaning he isn't too upset, but his gaze is forlorn. Chen swallowed nervously while fidgeting in Junmyeon's embrace. 

"I was afraid of what you would think." Chen admits, "I was scared you'd think I'm... still broken."

"Chen, we've been over this before." Junmyeon squeezes Chen a little tighter, "You are not and have never been broken. What you went through was horrible, yes." Junmyeon voice grows shaky "You were traumatized. As any hybrid would have been after experiencing that. But just because you're traumatized doesn't mean you're broken. You can get better. Hell, you are getting better Chen. I see it every day."

Junmyeon paused for a moment to wipe at his eyes, emotions overwhelming him for a moment. It transfers to Chen, feeling the urge to tear up himself upon seeing his owner upset.

"Please stop calling yourself broken Chen. You're so strong, maybe even stronger than me sometimes." Junmyeon smiles while trying to contain his sobs. "You'll pull through this, with Chanyeol and I by your side. Never forget that. Okay?"

Chen can't answer because he's already reverted back to a sobbing mess, his owner’s kind and encouraging words touching him so deeply he can no longer stand hold his tears back. He clutches at Junmyeon's shirt and absolutely loses it, burying his face into Junmyeon's shoulder and releasing all of his pent-up stress through pitiful wails. Junmyeon holds him close and whispers words of comfort, even though he himself had begun to cry seeing his cat hybrid so distraught. 

After a few minutes of Chen flushing out his pent-up emotions, his cries finally calm down. He takes steady breaths while Junmyeon gently pats and rubs his back, the contact easing the hybrids mind and nerves. 

"Feel better?" Junmyeon asks once he feels Chen has regained more of his composure.

"Yes," Chen replies through a stuttered sniffle. He hadn't cried that hard in a long time. However, he felt great, all of his worries and anxieties finally off his chest for now. 

Chen buried his face in Junmyeon's neck, not caring that he was getting Junmyeon's shoulder and collar wet with tears. Junmyeon didn't seem to mind so Chen crowds closer, mewling in his owner's comforting warmth. The gesture makes Junmyeon coo at the cat hybrid while affectionately running his fingers through Chen's soft silver locks, grazing his digits along the backs of Chen's folded ears. 

"So," Junmyeon begins, slowing his motion in Chen's hair just enough as to briefly pull Chen out of his dazed trance but keep him pleased. 

"Do you really love him?"

Heat rose to Chen's cheeks once he remembers his outbursts from earlier. Who knew pressure and anxiety could lead to possibly the most embarrassing confession of love in history? Thank God Chanyeol wasn't here to hear that. Chen would have run straight through the glass door and never returned. 

"... I do." Chen says quietly into Junmyeon's neck, grateful his owner can't see his expression from this position. 

Unfortunately, Junmyeon pulls away, gripping at Chen's shoulders and actively looking at the cat hybrid's face. dark brown eyes examine Chen like an open book for a full minute. Chen wants to shy away from his owner's intense gaze but he stays put, allowing Junmyeon to inspect his soul.

Then, a bright smile crossed Junmyeon's face, lighting up his features beautifully. 

"Okay," Junmyeon says, rubbing Chen arms reassuringly. "I approve."

"A-approve of what?" Chen stutters, knowing his face must be red as a tomato at this point.

"You and Chanyeol becoming a couple." Junmyeon clarifies with a laugh. "I was honestly worried something worse was going on between you to. Those scars really gave me a scare. And then Chanyeol wouldn't talk to me."

Chen tilted his head in confusion. "Chanyeol didn't tell you anything yet?" 

He had assumed that Junmyeon got something out of Chanyeol based on the somber expression he entered the kitchen with. 

"He was staying mostly quiet, dodging or only partly answering some of my questions." Junmyeon says, his fingers playing with one of Chen's ears. "The only solid answer I got was that the scars were an accident."

Chen felt guilty again, remembering how he had begged Chanyeol not to tell Junmyeon anything about what they did during his heat or the scars on his shoulders. It must not have been easy to refuse Junmyeon answers, even if he wasn't under the influence of owner speak. 

"Oh, he said something else too. Something you probably already know." Junmyeon says, smile growing fold. 

"He said he loves you."

Chen sputters, feeling flustered to the point of finally pulling away from his owner in favor of leaning back against the counter and hiding his face in his hands. Even if he was aware of this to a degree, Chen couldn't believe how loud his heartbeat felt in his chest over such a statement.

It felt... amazing. 

🐱🐶

  
Chen fidgeted with the helm of his sweater as he stood outside Chanyeol's bedroom door, his little fangs peeking out as he bit his lower lip.

After confessing everything to Junmyeon, Chen received some chamomile tea and a short pep talk from his owner, encouraging him to be open with Chanyeol about his affection.

Chen vocalized his fears of possibly hurting Chanyeol again, of never being able to express his love properly without his past getting in the way.

But Junmyeon remained adamant. 

'There is no need to be frightened,' Junmyeon had said, 'You're ready for this Chennie. Ready to love again.'

Junmyeon knows Chen better than anyone, so naturally he is inclined to believe his precious owner. Of course, he was still anxious, but with Junmyeon's encouragement he felt like he could do anything. Maybe he should have told Junmyeon about this sooner.

Straightening his back, Chen softly knocked on Chanyeol's bedroom door, the hollow sound of the wood practically echoing through his body. He needs to be brave.

"Come in."

At Chanyeol's prompting, Chen peeks in and is greeted by a familiar sight. 

Chanyeol is sitting on his bed surrounded by multiple lyric notebooks, all open and filled with messy handwriting. When Chen enters, Chanyeol looks up at him, light caramel eyes wide in shock. Chen always found the dog hybrid to be at his cutest when surprised. 

"Chen," Chanyeol says before scrambling to close his note books and leaving the bed.

Chen was about to tell Chanyeol to continue his business until he swiftly crossed the room and enveloped Chen in a tight embrace. Caught off guard Chen squeaks, blinking up at the dog hybrid in confusion. 

"I'm sorry," Chanyeol murmured, nuzzling his nose beside Chen's ear. "I forgot to wear a shirt with sleeves."

Chen couldn't help but laugh softly at the way Chanyeol turns into a scolded puppy. He rose his hands up to trace the faint scars with his finger tips.

"It's alright," Chen reassures, " It's been a while since I made these. And besides, it's not like you can really see them."

"Is Junmyeon mad?" Chanyeol pulls away to look at Chen with concern, his large warm hands on Chen's shoulders. 

"No," Chen shakes his head, "Quite the opposite actually." Heat rises to his cheeks when he remembers Junmyeon sunny smile of approval. 

"He's sad!?" Chanyeol squawks in terror, something that really doesn't suit a big guy like him.

"No!" Chen says, "How is sad the opposite of mad?"

Chanyeol shrugs, "What is the opposite of mad?"

"It's-..." Thinking a little harder, Chen realized that he himself didn't know the exact answer either. Naturally it would be a positive emotion, like happiness. But then isn't that the opposite of sadness? 

Chen groaned, "Forget it." before pushing the confused dog hybrid to sit on the bed while Chen remains standing. He finds this to be a way better position to talk to Chanyeol. 

"I told Junmyeon everything." Chen admits with his arms crossed, his gaze flickering between the interesting patters of the bed covers to Chanyeol's gorgeous eyes. "About how I scarred you and about ... us."

"Us?"

Chen feels a familiar tightness fill his chest at Chanyeol's earnest question. Looking at the other hybrid, Chen can see that he was equally as nervous but with a twinkle of hope in his eyes. 

'I still want you.'

'My wounds will heal.'

'We'll work through this together.'

There was no way to describe how Chanyeol made him feel so loved and cherished with those few words.

'I won't give up on you, even if I can't hold or make love to you.'

God.

"Chen?"

Chanyeol's deep voice pulls Chen out of his reverie, looking down to see the dog hybrid watching him expectantly. 

"Well," Chen begins while rubbing at his arms for comfort. "Do you remember what I said after I ... hurt you?"

When Chanyeol quirks his head to the side and droops one ear down cutely, Chen continues. 

"When I said I wasn't ready for that yet?"

Like that, Chanyeol's demeanor changed from curious and confused to shocked and hopeful, eyes practically twinkling. It makes Chen's heart flutter in excrement with how happy Chanyeol looks. 

It makes Chen wonder if he really can do this, open his heart up to someone else. It looks and sounds so easy, to trust another with his heart, a dog hybrid. Hell, Chen let this dog hybrid use him for a rut, of course the trust is there. Chanyeol is everything he could ever ask for in a partner. 

Chen doubts he's everything Chanyeol wants. 

But he can try to be.

"I... think I'm ready for-"

Chen is cut off by Chanyeol yank him forward to straddle his legs. Before he can vocalize confusion, soft lips press against his. Anything he planned to say is completely lost, his mind scrambling to process what’s happening. 

Chanyeol kisses him much like the last time, soft and carefully. His long arms wrapped around Chen's waist to keep him close. Slowly disconnecting and reconnecting their lips.

Chen waists almost no time kissing back, closing his eyes and deepening the kiss by placing his hands behind Chanyeol's head. His heart sores as he feels the love on Chanyeol's lips once again, his stomach fluttering with joy. It's enough to make him purr with delight.

Chanyeol licks at his upper lip and for a second Chen pauses.

"Is this okay?" Chanyeol asks, halting his kiss but keeping close where Chen can feel his breath against his lips.

He's... fine.

Seriously. 

Not a pinch of unease in his stomach or chest or wherever. 

Just warmth. So much warmth and affection in his body.

Chen tackles Chanyeol to the bed, attaching their lips together once again, but this time with more aggressive passion. Chanyeol seems startled by Chen's force but doesn't push away, instead wrapping his arms around Chen's back and giving in.

It's Chen this time who is using his tongue, wordlessly asking for Chanyeol's permission to explore. With a happy whine, Chanyeol yields to Chen, parting his lips for the cat hybrid. This goes on for a couple of minutes, Chen tasting Chanyeol, until eventually Chanyeol takes the initiative and uses his own tongue to explore Chen's mouth. 

Neither of them knows how long they stay like that, tasting each other, moaning and whimpering together, hands caressing each other’s bodies. They set off their hybrid instincts, craving each other on a level deeper than friendly intimacy or searing lust.

"God," Chanyeol gasps once he parts their lips for air. He looked wrecked from the intense kiss, hair tousled and lips swollen, affection swirling in his eyes. Chen thinks he must look just as if not more disheveled himself, but he didn't care.

"I love you." It spills out of Chen so easily, so suddenly that he doesn't even have time to feel embarrassed by his own confession before Chanyeol replies.

"I know." Chanyeol says, his gaze fond as ever. "I heard you earlier." 

When Chanyeol twitches his fluffy ears for emphasis Chen swallowed, cheeks hearting up as he buries his face in Chanyeol's chest. Of course, the other hybrid heard him scream his embarrassing confession, he's got the sensitive ears of a dog. That's definitely the least romantic way for Chanyeol to find out.

"But I've known even before that," Chanyeol admits, tilting Chen's head back up so they can lock eyes. "I don't remember exactly when but I could feel it. There was just the issue of you being ready or not."

Chen sighs his nerves away, leaning his cheek into Chanyeol's warm palm, a small kitten curl on his lips. Of course Chanyeol knew, the dog hybrid was receptive to these kinds of things.

"So do you have anything to say to me?" Chen asks with a pout.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Chanyeol bats his eyelids and droops one of his ears innocently, trying to appear clueless. 

"You know what I mean," Chen whines, swatting at Chanyeol's chest in petulant frustration. It's only fair for Chanyeol to make his own 'official' confession after Chen's. That must be some form of romantic couples’ etiquette or something. 

"Oh, that's right." Chanyeol says in an exaggerated tone that has Chen rolling his eyes.

Carefully, Chanyeol pushes them up so that they are in their previous position, Chanyeol sitting upright on the edge of the bed while Chen sits in his lap. Then he places both of his hands on Chen's cheeks, his caramel stare is intense but affectionate.

"I love you so much Chen," Chanyeol says, "I want to spend the rest of my life by your side, making you laugh and smile. Seeing you happy brings me so much joy. Seeing you cry feels like a knife to my heart. Seeing you be yourself makes me fall deeper and deeper for you every day."

Chen is absolutely stunned by Chanyeol's powerful confession. The warmth in his chest had quickly turned hot, radiating all throughout his body. No doubt he must look like the reddest tomato right now. 

"You're the perfect cat hybrid, sassy at most times but so kind at the right times. You've got the cutest laugh and a drop-dead gorgeous smile that I can't get enough of. And your body-"

"Ok I get it!" Chen interrupts, swatting franticly at Chanyeol's shoulders to get him to stop. If he hears any more he might burst out of both affection and embarrassment. At Chen's little assault, Chanyeol laughs heartily while trying to continue his romantic speech.

But eventually Chanyeol grabs Chen's flailing hands and silenced the cat hybrid's whines with his lips.

Chen doesn't resist, melting into the kiss as his heart swells with love.

  
🐱🐶

_The door slams open, the force nearly rattling the entire house._

_Chen flinches on the floor. Even after all these years he still can't get over that dreadful noise of his second owner’s arrival._

_"Fucking shit."_

_The man curses under his breath at something, walking right past Chen without any acknowledgement of any kind._

_Often, the front door would be left wide open when his second master came home upset. And yet, Chen never dared to leave the house without his master’s permission._

_Chen was going to place his head back on the couch seat and rest until he heard his second master slam the door open to his first master's room and begin cursing up a storm. Something must be seriously wrong based on his tone._

_Quietly, Chen gets up and slowly walks over to the doorway so he can hear the conversation better. The door was open just a crack wide enough for Chen to keep himself hidden, his folded ears focusing on the two humans inside._

_"That dickhead ripped us off again!"_

_His second master is shouting, a common occurrence._

_"We'll just have to trade him something else."_

_It's his first master this time, his voice quieter but equally as peeved._

_"We don't have anything else! We're all out of sane dogs. I doubt the sick fuck wants feral shit."_

_There is a silence between them and Chen thinks the conversation is over. He's about to return to his spot in front of the couch when his first master starts speaking again._

_"What about a cat?"_

_Chen's breath hitches, his heart pounding hard in his ears._

_Surely master means something different._

_"You mean that broken carpet crap? Who would want that?"_

_They can't be talking about him._

_"He could still be useful."_

_They must be talking about another cat hybrid._

_"Pfft. I doubt anyone would want damaged goods."_

_No, it can't be him._

_"Maybe not all together..."_

_No no no._

_"... But in pieces."_

  
_Chen doesn't fully register what's happening to him until his muscles start aching._

_He had run out the open doorway so fast, his bare feet stinging from the forest floor, his oversized t-shirt clinging to his form._

_His tail begins to throb again, as per usual every time he is straining his body._

_At this point he doesn't even care._

_He's damaged goods anyway._

_"Get the fuck back here!"_

_It's his second master screaming from a distance. It only boosts Chen's terror, leading him to push his body harder and faster._

_Chen never knew he had this much stamina. Or maybe he doesn't and this was just his body's last ditch effort to survive. Maybe if he stops at any point he'd become a pile of broken bones._

_So Chen keeps running and running, even as the world around him became distorted, as his mind started clouding with fog._

_At some point he hears the faint noises of dogs and laughter, a clear sign that his pursuers are still after him, getting louder and louder._

_It doesn't make any sense._

_Regardless he kept running and running, he's screaming but he can't hear his voice, completely surrounded by dark woods._

_Was he going to die here?_

_Then, just as Chen was about to give up, there are bright lights of civilization in the distance. They are accompanied by one big singular light that shined brighter, warmer than everything else. Chen never stopped running, pushing his straining body towards the soothing light that felt so familiar._

_Soon the light shaped into a tall humanoid form, then voices surrounded Chen. Well, less voices and more echoes of a single voice. It's deep and oh so welcoming._

_Chen stretches out his arms right before colliding with the light, it's comforting warmth enveloping like a blanket._

_He's crying out the hybrid's name over and over even when he can no longer feel his own body._

_He was saved._

"Chanyeol!" Chen cries as he flails about, the sheets flinging around him as he struggles. 

"Chen relax! Calm down!"

Chanyeol's voice brings Chen back to reality, ember eyes blinking wildly as he tries to gage where he is and what's happening. 

It's past 1 am, Chen is in Chanyeol's bed after a long cuddles season that lead to them to falling asleep together. 

"Shh, I'm here," Chanyeol coos while holding Chen close to his body, "You're safe with me."

Chen's breath eventually evens out and he buries his face into Chanyeol's clavicle, breathing in the dog hybrid's comforting scent. The nightmare was so vivid, so real, even though aspect of it didn't make any sense. 

About four years ago, Chen escaped by running away, yes. But he was rescued by a young couple who happened to find him scraped and bruised up in a bush at the edge of town. Emergency units were dispatched and that lead to the removal of his tail. A couple of investigators poked and prodded at him until they concluded that he didn’t have any solid information. The following months he spent in a hybrid boarding home, keeping quiet and trying to hold himself together. 

Then Junmyeon came along. 

And his whole life changed from there.

"Bad dream?" Chanyeol asks once Chen's distressed whimpers finally die down. 

"Yeah," Chen rubs his face into Chanyeol's shirt, knowing the dog hybrid wouldn't mind. 

"... Want to talk about it?"

"Not Really." Chen says. "My nightmares usually consist of bad memories, things I'd rather leave in the past. I used to have them more frequently during my first few months with Junmyeon."

After watching Chen with his gorgeous caramel eyes for a moment, Chanyeol leans down and plants small puppy licks at Chen's folded ears, drawing a shutter from the antsy cat hybrid. Honestly, Chen still couldn't believe they were actually together now, couldn't believe he had someone so sweet and caring fawning over him. Chen knows he shouldn't think things like 'someone like him doesn't deserve this', especially when Junmyeon and Chanyeol constantly remind Chen that he's worth everything they give him.

"Do you need anything?" Chanyeol asks before planting a kiss on the fold of his ear, a gesture that makes Chen melt.

"No." Chen smiles. "I'm good for now. Just need you." He cuddles even closer to Chanyeol, releasing a small pleased noise for emphasis. 

He accepts the comfort and affection, opening his heart and mind.

He's worth it.

Chanyeol gives an affirmative hum before kissing Chen's forehead softly. Then he places his chin above Chen's head, making himself more comfortable. Chen hears Chanyeol's heartbeat, a calming rhythm to his nerves.

Soon the shock from Chen's nightmare fades and he's left feeling calm. Chanyeol's steady breathing and comforting musk eventually lulls him back to sleep.

What Chen dreams up next is of a sunny Spring day, lush green fields for miles upon miles, an open sea in the very distance. 

There is a smiling hybrid owner, a hyper active dog hybrid, a laughing cat hybrid...

And a red frisbee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the conclusion to Folded Love. Thanks to everyone who stuck with my big venture into the hybrid au. 
> 
> You might have already seen that I haven't labeled it as complete yet. 
> 
> That's because I have one last chapter to add, basically an epilogue. I'll have it out soon so stick around if you're interested. 
> 
> Again, thanks so much for reading and giving my story a chance. And I got a lot of nice comments too! I wanted to respond but I wasn't sure if I should reply to everything or just reply to the ones on the last chapter. I'm a little inept when it comes to social interaction heheh. But your lovely comments have helped keep me motivated. 
> 
> So if you have any questions or comments now I'll definitely try to reply to them all I promise haha. 
> 
> Thanks again.
> 
> ~Renard


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is guys! One last addition to my hybrid story.
> 
> I'm proud of myself for finishing this. This might be my first ever multiple chapter project I've finished. I feel super accomplished haha.
> 
> Anyways, please enjoy my final chapter.
> 
> ~Renard

🐱(Epilogue)🐶

  
[ Three Months Later ]

  
Dating Chanyeol turned out to be way easier than Chen initially thought. For the past few months, they continued with their usually dynamic, just with the addition of stealing kisses from each other or 'couple flirting'. Chen preferred to do that in private but Chanyeol wasn't shy, openly displaying his affection for Chen regardless of who ever was around.

The dog hybrids on the block all congratulated Chanyeol, with Jackson giving him a big pat on the back. Meanwhile Chen's cat hybrid friend group initially teased him before congratulating him as well. 

Chen remained shy in public places where paparazzi loomed at a distance, taking photos of their every move. He'd often get heart attacks from Chanyeol trying to hold him or nuzzle his face affectionately. The dog hybrid even went so far as to try and give him a kiss, nearly prompting Chen to throw a fit of panic. It was a miracle no one saw.

It's not that Chen is embarrassed about being with a dog hybrid. There are plenty of mixed hybrid couple out there. 

It's just...

"Aw man." Chen groaned at his phone screen. 

"What's up?" Chanyeol asks while leaning his head over Chen's shoulder. His grip around the cat hybrid's waist was loose but secure.

Since it was a sunny day, warm enough not to be bothersome, Chen and Chanyeol decided to spend some time in the backyard. They had a lawn chair just big enough for the two of them if they snuggled close enough together. 

Junmyeon's vacation was over and had begun filming his next series, giving the new hybrid couple plenty of privacy to explore and grow their relationship.

"Look," Chen holds his phone up to show the other hybrid his screen, an upset pout on his lips.

The internet was open to a fan page called 'ChanChenIsReal'. In it was a bunch of photos of Chen and Chanyeol at social gatherings and walking through town. There were even photos from angles Chen never thought possible. 

In each photo, there are arrows and bubbles highlighting the two hybrids touching hands or making eye contact, labeling everything as proof. 

"We've been discovered."

"So?" Chanyeol laughs while nuzzling Chen's cheek.

Chen reacts by fussing and shying away from the contact, his cheeks heating up.

"What do you mean ‘so’? It's a scandal!" He whines, scrolling through the comments and seeing all of the replies were in agreement. 

"What do you mean?" Chanyeol tilts his head earnestly, drawing a frustrated sigh from the other hybrid.

"A couple of years ago, Junmyeon got flack for dating this singer from Japan. It seemed like everyone was against them until the woman finally broke it off with him. He was miserable." Chen frowned at the phone, as if accusing the little device for his owner’s pain.

"We aren't like them. If people suddenly start hating us because we're in love I wouldn't care." Chanyeol holds him tighter. "Because I have the most gorgeous cat hybrid in South Korea as my mate. I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

Chen's cheeks redden from Chanyeol's statement. The dog hybrid is always so good with words, knowing just what to say to make Chen flustered and shy like a teenager around their crush.

"You're so sappy."

Chanyeol pouts, "Leave Red Velvet out of this." Then pecks Chen's temple. "You shouldn't care so much about what others think. Besides, weren't the fans rooting for us since the beginning?"

It's true, a lot of fans enjoyed seeing them together, paparazzi clamored around them to get the latest pictures of them together, viewers on streams would constantly beg them to be in frame together. Everyone on social media seemed to be on their side. 

"Here."

Chanyeol suddenly has his own phone out, opening his camera feature and angles it so that they are within selfie frame. 

Before Chen can smile or form a heart with his hands, Chanyeol dips his head and kisses his cheek, talking the photo at the last second. Chen gasps, flustered from the surprise smooch. 

"I'll just post this to my Instagram and tell our fans about the big news." Chanyeol snickered before pulling his phone away.

"What!? Don't!" Chen whines, turning in the dog hybrid's lap and frantically tries to obtain the device with damning evidence. 

Since Chanyeol's arms are longer, it's easy for him to keep the phone away from the smaller hybrid, chuckling as Chen is practically climbing all over him. Eventually, the mischievous dog hybrid let's up when Chen's actions start to become a risk to his phone's safety, Junmyeon would be upset if it falls and cracks like last time.

"Ok ok, I won't post it." Chanyeol sets his phone down on the mini table next to them and gathers the fussy cat hybrid in his arms.

"Delete it." Chen huffs, trying to look intimidating by slitting his ember eyes but with the pout on his face and the blush on his cheeks he ended up looking adorable instead. He had his hands braced on Chanyeol's firm chest as he stared him down.

"No can do." Chanyeol says. "You're way to cute when surprised. Also..." 

Chanyeol tightens his grip around Chen's back, bringing them a little closer for their foreheads to touch. He's unfazed by the cat hybrid's glare, caramel eyes still fond as ever. 

"I love seeing us together."

Chen's gaze softens from the dog hybrid's statement. He absolutely despised how easy it was for Chanyeol to soften him up with just a few words. And Chanyeol knows this too, seemingly trying to engineer the sweetest, most heart melting lines for Chen to become a mess of feels. The dog hybrid has practically made it a hobby. And honestly...

Chen doesn't mind.

"You're silly." He says while burying his face in Chanyeol's neck, hiding the red hue of his cheeks. 

Chanyeol merely hums before pulling Chen into a proper hug, placing his chin on the cat hybrid's shoulder. No doubt the dog hybrid could hear the quickened beat of Chen's heart, further proving his success in flustering the cat hybrid. 

Absolutely silly.

It's around 9 pm, Junmyeon is out drinking with coworkers, leaving Chen and Chanyeol to their own devices. 

And boy were they making the most of it.

"Fuck," Chen cusses under his breath as he inserted a third finger inside his leaking hole. 

Chen is spread open above Chanyeol's reclined body, dripping all over the dog hybrid's lap. Not like Chanyeol cares with how Chen is giving him a show. 

They are doing something more exotic and adventurous tonight.

Chen looks up to lock eyes with Chanyeol, who's arms are tied to the headboard of the bed, his bare chest already heaving and covered in love bites. Chanyeol's lovely caramel eyes are dilated and glassy, lips slightly swollen, and cheeks lightly dusted pink. 

The look brings a kitten smile to Chen's face upon noticing how Chanyeol looks close to how he appeared during Chen's first heat. 

Submissive. 

"Enjoying the view pup?" Chen chuckled as he pulled his fingers out from his hole and ran them down his stocking clad leg.

Black lace stockings.

Years ago, Chen's masters would force him to wear stockings, claiming they made him look sensual and innocent. They'd be pure white, or pink striped, or baby blue pocka dots. Just any patterns or imagery that softened him.

However, these were different. 

These were jet black, giving off the aura of something less innocent and more dominant, more demanding. 

More powerful.

"You look like you're going to snap at any minute." Chen purrs. "Are you going to snap at me pup?"

Chanyeol franticly shakes his head obediently before responding with a proper, "No sir."

"Good boy." Chen hums, running his fingers up and down his stocking clad leg, enjoying how the fabric feels under his fingertips. The stockings plus the erotic situation boosts his arousal, his cock growing harder from the stimulation.

Chen couldn't help but chuckle from the way Chanyeol's stiff erection twitches in interest. A few weeks ago he found out Chanyeol had a massive praise kink, not only that...

"You're so naughty," Chen says, changing his position so that he's now on all fours over Chanyeol's body. "Since the very beginning you've been having naughty thoughts about me haven't you, mutt."

Chanyeol arousal spikes in his scent. He licks his lips, gaze flickering between Chen's ember eyes and his cute kitten lips, those lips that were now degrading him. 

Chen knows Chanyeol wants a kiss, but he isn't going to give it to him just yet.

Chanyeol had to earn it first. 

"Filthy mutt, thinking about me in such a way. You should be ashamed of yourself." Chen croons, ember eyes half hidden as he gazes at the wrecked dog hybrid.

Chanyeol just swallowed without saying a word, then his eyes hungrily traveling over Chen's form with absolutely no shame at all.

"Dirty mongrel," Chen swats at Chanyeol's chest as if disciplining the dog hybrid for being disobedient.

"Sorry sir." Chanyeol says, his ears droop to indicate his regret and desire to represent, but Chen doesn't miss the spark of burning desire in Chanyeol's eyes. He's getting off to this no doubt. 

"I suppose you can't help it." Chen shakes his head with a sigh, "It's difficult to resist a hybrid such as I, hm?" 

He was completely submerged in this persona of posh sassy vixen, something Chen never thought he'd enjoy so much. And then Chanyeol was so good a playing along, acting like an innocent hybrid with provocative thoughts, allowing Chen to humiliate and degrade him. Within acceptable degrees of course. They've done this a few times to know their limits now.

"Yes sir." Chanyeol says, "You're very hard to resist."

Chen snickers, "Well then, guess I have no choice but to assist a helpless mutt like you."

Then, Chen reaches down and grabs Chanyeol's cock in his hand and begins to stroke it, shallow and slow, stimulation but not enough. The whole time he keeps his ember gaze fixed on Chanyeol's face, his devilish smirk growing as the dog hybrid squirms and whines beneath him.

The past few times they've tried this, there would always be a moment where Chanyeol 'misbehaves', like pleasuring himself without permission. A few times, Chen had to punish Chanyeol for thrusting into his hand or moving his legs against Chen's stockings. 

This time however, Chanyeol was being exceptionally good, never disobeying once. And that deserves a reward. 

"Want to taste me pup?" Chen asks upon noticing the way Chanyeol's eyes are fixed on his cock. He hasn't touched it much other than giving Chanyeol a little show earlier, but he definitely wouldn't mind some attention from the dog hybrid now.

Releasing his grip and ignoring the whimper in response, Chen moved to hover over Chanyeol's face, being sure never to break eye contact. Chen swears the way Chanyeol's eyes light up is like how a dog grows excited for a tasty treat. So cute.

When Chen's cock is within range, Chanyeol dips down to take it into his mouth.

"Nuh uh." Before that happens, Chen pulls away with a teasing chuckle. "Wait for it."

Chanyeol sighs, "Yes sir", sexual frustration all over his features, but he complies. Leaning his head back against the pillows, the aroused dog hybrid waits patiently. It's clear he's on the verge of pouting at any moment. 

"Wait," Chen warns again as he approached, the mischievous smile still across his face. He allows the tip of his cock to graze Chanyeol's plump lips, teasing himself for a moment before continuing.

To both Chen's delight and dismay, it turned out Chanyeol was way better at giving head than he initially thought. It was the unrivaled tongue action that never failed to make Chen fall apart. Perhaps it was because of Chanyeol’s dog characteristics and higher oral fixation, or Chanyeol was just gifted at pleasuring his mates. Who knows.

"Go on." Chen purred while placing one hand on headboard and using his other to hold the base of his erection. 

Caramel eyes twinkling, Chanyeol licks his lips before practically devouring Chen. He works diligently up and down the shaft before completely taking it into his mouth. The sounds are filthy, loud enough to fill the room. 

Chen leans his head back and moans in delight, gyrating his hips carefully as he fucks Chanyeol's warm wet mouth. He released the base of his cock and reaches over to massage the straining muscle of Chanyeol’s strong arms, the firmness under his fingertips adding to his arousal.

At this point, Chanyeol is sucking Chen off proper. His hips jerk erratically whenever Chanyeol uses his tongue to press on the underside of his shaft. Or when Chanyeol sucks hard on his tip before engulfing him again.

But by far the thing that drives Chen absolutely crazy is when Chanyeol pretended to choke on his cock, whimpering and whining around his shaft to create delicious vibrations, purposely taking him deep so as to activate his gag reflex. They've already established safe words and gestures to indicate limits. Though they've barely had to use any yet.

'I want you to go all out.' Chanyeol had once said, voice raspy from being fucked. 'Use me.'

"Fuck, Chanyeol," Chen brakes character for a second when Chanyeol took him really deep and whimpers/moans. Pleasure spikes through his groin and Chen grits his teeth to stay quiet. He didn’t want to become a mess just yet, no matter how strong his gut was fluttering to give in to the pleasure. 

Chanyeol has already pulled off to smirk up at the cat hybrid before planting little puppy licks around his shaft. Clearly, he found Chen's momentary loss of composure to be a small victory. 

Unacceptable behavior.

"Naughty mutt," Chen chides before pulling his cock away, a filthy cord of saliva connecting it to Chanyeol tongue in a lewd visual. "You did that on purpose."

Knowing better, Chanyeol doesn't try to tease the cat hybrid any further. After licking his lips, he murmurs a 'no sir' and shakes his head. He's turned back into the obedient little pup.

"Liar," Chen huffs, but his annoyance washes away as soon as he witnessed Chanyeol's puppy eyes, unfortunately no longer immune after falling in love with the big oaf. But he didn't mind it that much.

Still in character, Chen slowly moves back and hovers over Chanyeol's cock, which has grown a little bigger after the little blow job session. It's swollen red and twitching in excitement, especially when Chen moves his leaking hole closer.

Oh how Chen wants to sink down on Chanyeol as fast as possible. But he had to wait. Take his precious time to unravel Chanyeol.

"Guess you still need more training." Chen's voice faltered a bit at the end when he pushes the tip of Chanyeol’s cock past his rim. But only the tip, for now.

Chanyeol hisses, squeezing his eyes closed and furrowing his eyebrows. Chen catches how Chanyeol is biting his lip, a clear sign of the dog hybrid straining not to thrust up into his heat. Although he'd love to tease Chanyeol about his reaction, Chen himself wasn't composed either. 

Though he's taken Chanyeol many times, Chen still can't get over it, how long and thick Chanyeol is. And that's not even counting his knot.

With each millimeter Chen descends, his breathing becomes more haggard as the massive shaft drags against his sensitive walls. It takes all the power within him not to clamp down just yet.

Chen stops halfway to get his bearings, his hole fluttering around the thickness, lust and pleasure are swirling around in his belly. It's so good.

"Chen please," Chanyeol whined from below and Chen locks eyes with him. It's just like the night of Chen's heat, when Chanyeol looks so wrecked and aroused, eyes dilated and hungry.

The only difference being Chanyeol belongs to him now.

"Please what? Do you want something puppy?" Chen laughs hotly as he begins to shallowly fuck himself on only half of Chanyeol’s cock. The action makes Chanyeol whine some more, turning Chen on even further. He loved the sound of Chanyeol when he's desperate. 

"Need you," Chanyeol's begging is slowly becoming Chen's weakness. How could he possibly deny this gorgeous dog hybrid anything when he's looking at him with those pretty eyes glassy with unshed tears, deep voice pleading and sweet.

And he's oh so obedient, not thrusting up once since Chen sat on his cock. 

"You've been such a good boy," Chen hums, not missing how the praise makes Chanyeol's ears perk up and his cock twitch inside. "I suppose you deserve a reward."

Chen sinks down lower and faster now, making them both cry out. Chanyeol whines from the tightness while Chen moans loud from the stretch.

"Agh, Fuck!", Chen screams up into the ceiling when Chanyeol's cock ground against his prostate. 

It's a good thing Junmyeon isn't home, but not because Chen is afraid of his owner finding out about them. It's because he didn't need Junmyeon's teasing the next morning. 

When Chen reaches the top of Chanyeol's knot, he takes a shaky breath to pull himself back together. His shaking arms are the only thing holding himself up.

Chanyeol's whines quieted down as well, leaning his head back against the pillows again as his chest heaves. His shoulders must be aching from the restraints. 

As things settled down a bit, Chen regains some of his composure, returning back to his character. 

"Is it good?" Chen chuckles while gently squeezing around the dog hybrid. The initial pain had dissipated, leaving behind a wonderful sensation that made his body tingle. 

Chanyeol moans in response, head still thrown back from Chen's ministrations. 

"I can't hear you pup." Chen teases, leans over and bracketing Chanyeol's chest between his arms. The new position brings him closer to Chanyeol's neck and clavicle, just begging to be marked with his fangs. However, Chen chose to lap at them instead, with every lick he rocks his body on Chanyeol's cock, pulling more groans of pleasure from the dog hybrid.

It comes to a point where Chanyeol finally looks down at Chen, eyes dilated and feral. A thrilled shiver travels down Chen's spine and he unconsciously clenched around the throbbed shaft deep inside him.

"Chen ... I need to touch you." Chanyeol whispers.

Chen can tell that the dog hybrid was no longer using his persona. This was now Chanyeol, deep in his feelings, feeling absolutely wrecked, and needing release soon.

"Okay," Chen says softly, having dropped his own persona in favor of being himself for this next part.

Carefully, Chen reaches up and loosened the restraints around Chanyeol's wrists, providing him with enough wiggle room to free himself. The action has him raising off of Chanyeol’s shaft to reach the top of the headboard, only half way filled now.

Once Chanyeol frees his arms and expressed his contentment with a long sigh, Chen noticed the red marks on his wrist, causing him to frown. 

"Is this fine-", Chen was going to ask if Chanyeol's wrist were alright before the dog hybrid shot his arms around him and pulled him down into an intense sloppy kiss. Chen whines as Chanyeol devours his mouth, closing his eyes and allowing the dog hybrid to do what he wants.

As Chanyeol makes out with him, Chen feels large warm hands travel all over his body, making him purr and moan against Chanyeol's mouth. At this point Chanyeol know about all of his most sensitive spots, from the backs of his ears, to the dip of his upper spine, to the-

Chen gasps suddenly when Chanyeol squeezes his cheeks between his hands, slightly stretching his stuffed hole further. 

"Can I take over now?" Chanyeol asks against Chen's lips, dilated caramel eyes half-lidded and hazy. 

Heart pounding against his chest from excitement and arousal, Chen swallowed before he whispers, "Go on." His ember eyes wide as he took in Chanyeol's gorgeous features. 

It only takes Chanyeol seconds to lift his hips up and fully sheath himself back into Chen, drawing out a strained hiss from the cat hybrid. Chen feels the top of Chanyeol's knot bump at his rim and he quickly prepares himself for the further intrusion. It's easy considering how much he wants it now, fluttering his slick hole in anticipation. 

When Chen expresses a pleased mewls at the stretch, Chanyeol takes that as a sign to start thrusting, quickly setting a brutal but pleasurable pace. 

"Hgn! Argh!" Chen's groans and moans get louder again as he's constantly nailed in his sweet spots over and over, pushing him closer to his release.

"Oh Chen," Chanyeol groans, deep voice dripping in arousal. "You're so beautiful. Take me so good. Fuck."

Even in the middle of being fucked senseless, a warmth grows in Chen's chest upon hearing Chanyeol praises. Though praise was definitely one of Chanyeol’s kinks, Chen had to admit he somewhat had the same. Chalk it up to their silly hybrid tendencies. 

Chanyeol groans become more feral before he finally pushes his knot inside, his pace never letting up as he pounds into the delicious heat of Chen's hole. 

  
Chen cries out from the sudden intrusion but doesn't shy away, planting his hands firmly on Chanyeol's shoulders and holding on tight. The knot is pressing down on his prostate with every viscous thrust, turning his brain into mush as Chanyeol takes him. 

"Yes Chanyeol! Fuck me! Right there!" Sinful jargon in spilling from Chen's mouth from the intensity of it all. There's Chanyeol's huge cock fucking him, then Chanyeol's delightful musk, then the view of Chanyeol all sweaty and wrecked beneath him. It's all so overwhelmingly amazing that Chen can't hold on much longer, feeling his climax quickly approaching. 

"I'm getting close," Chanyeol warns, his hips and rhythm beginning to falter.

"Do it. Knot me Chanyeol. Please knot me!" Chen begs helplessly. His legs and arms are trembling, just about ready to collapse at any moment if Chanyeol wasn't holding him up.

Only moments later, due to Chen's plea and the fluttering of his hole, Chanyeol finally reaches his limit. With a feral snarl he threw his head back and comes hard, shooting strings of white deep into the cat hybrid. 

The sensation being filled and the heavy scent of Chanyeol's seed prompts Chen to climax as well. He releases a high broken cry before cumming all over Chanyeol's stomach.

Though Chanyeol's hips stilled, Chen continued to rock himself on the dog hybrid, chasing his post orgasm high. The knot made it difficult to move but any motion at all was enough, especially when it was lodged tightly against Chen's prostate, keeping him sensitive.

Eventually they both melt against each other, panting hard to catch their breaths. Chanyeol released Chen's waist and as expected he collapsed on Chanyeol. The new angle makes the knot shift and Chen momentarily whimpers in distress before Chanyeol peppers comforting kisses to his head. 

Chen, still deep in his feelings, purrs from the sensation of Chanyeol filling him and the feeling of Chanyeol’s lips against his heated skin. 

"Love you." Chen murmured, his head still too out of it to realize what he’s said.

"Love you too"

The reply from Chanyeol brings more clarity to Chen, cheeks becoming flushed as his mind become less fuzzy. He hides his face in Chanyeol's neck, not caring about the sweat. But he can't escape, not while the knot is keeping him stationary. 

Chanyeol laughs at Chen's bashfulness before gathering the embarrassed cat hybrid into his arms.

"We can never seem to keep our personas to the end." Chanyeol states, allowing his lips to glide along Chen's temple.

"Don't you mean you? I'm the one who always stays in character. You crack early every time." Chen pouts, looking up at Chanyeol with accusatory eyes.

"I suppose you're right," Chanyeol replies with a faint blush dusting his cheeks. "But you try being tied up and teased for an hour by a hot cat babe. It's very difficult."

At Chanyeol's label of "hot cat babe" Chen's blush turned even darker than Chanyeol's. "Whatever," he murmured dismissively before avoiding eye contact. 

But Chanyeol uses a hand to tilt Chen's face back up so they can lock gazes again. His lovely caramel eyes that never fails to make Chen's heart skip a beat, are brimming with affection now.

"I'll try harder to stay in character. I promise."

Chen's eyes initially widen before softening, a playful smile on his lips as he grabs Chanyeol's hand and leans into it.

"You don't need to try too hard," Chen reassures while planting brief kisses on Chanyeol's palm. "I like it when you break character. It's so ... you. And I like you."

Chen felt like his statement was sappy and cheesy as hell. But by the beautiful smile Chanyeol gives him before kissing him deeply, he must have said the right thing.

Chanyeol's knot eventually recedes and they are able to separate. Chen winced from the sensation of slick and cum leaking out of his hole. It doesn't feel any less weird the more they do this.

"Come with me," Chen prompts while pulling Chanyeol in the direction of his bathroom. Some nights they'd be too exhausted to clean up but today wasn't one of them. Chanyeol looked about ready to pass out but Chen refused to sleep in this filthy state.

"Don't you mean come inside you?" Chanyeol teases, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as he finally untangled himself from the sheets and follows Chen's lead.

"I'm going to choke you." Chen growls as heat rose to his cheeks. 

"Kinky." Chanyeol laughs right before being chased into the bathroom by a whiney and flustered Chen.

After taking a shower together, they decided to spend the night in Chen's room. Mostly because they didn't feel like changing Chanyeol's sweaty sheets.

Cuddled up on Chen's slightly smaller bed, Chanyeol has already fallen asleep while Chen stares dreamily at the handsome dog hybrid. 

Chen still can't believe Chanyeol belongs to him. For so long he always believed that no one wanted him, he was nothing but broken goods with nothing to look forward to in life.

But Junmyeon came along, and proved he was wanted as a hybrid. 

And now Chanyeol came along and proved he was wanted as a mate as well.

Chen knows he still hasn't fully recovered from what happened. But he understands he's getting better, healing slowly but steadily. Junmyeon is right, he was never broken.

He just needed some love.

Awful. Absolutely abysmal. Downright atrocious.

Possibly the worst thing to ever happen in the history of the entire universe.

...Is what Chen would have thought about a situation like this had he been the same cat hybrid almost two years ago.

Now he just feels...

"Chen, Chanyeol." Junmyeon addressed them with a sunny smile. "You remember Mr.Oh, right?"

Hooked on his arm is Mr.Oh Sehun, the dashing young actor and rising super star of South Korea. Junmyeon has just come home from a lunch outing with him.

"Hello," Mr.Oh says to them, his gorgeous face is stoic but the corners of his lips tick slightly up to soften his features. 

"He's just staying for a cup of coffee before heading back to work." Junmyeon chirped. 

This was the first time Junmyeon has brought his date home. Meaning this has become serious. Deep in Chen's gut, there was a pinch of uncertainty, a worry stemmed from Junmyeon's past relationships. But he tries his best to shove it down in favor of relishing Junmyeon's love struck happiness. It warmed his heart.

However, Chen was perplexed by another addition to the couple.

"Oh, and Kai came along as well." Junmyeon says. "Hope you two don't mind if he stays for the afternoon, do you?"

Behind Sehun, shyly peaking over his shoulder is Kai, the handsome husky hybrid from the last new years party. He looked just as stunning without make up. Chestnut mullet neatly combed, soft plush lips, captivating bronze skin. A truly beautiful dog hybrid.

Again, Chen gets a bizarre feeling swimming in his gut and he isn't sure why. It's not entirely unpleasant though.

Kai's pretty blue eyes shifting between Chen and Chanyeol much like the last time they met. 

Curiously, Chen peaked over at Chanyeol next to him and saw the same unreadable expression as before, staring Kai down. However, Chanyeol's tail was wagging a little, a clear sign that there wasn't any hostility. 

That was a relief. 

Remembering what BamBam said about dog hybrid's being territorial, Chen had grown anxious about this situation. He's going to keep an eye out and be sure to tell Junmyeon if anything happens. 

  
Oddly, Chen thought he himself would be a little on edge by Kai presence. But now that he and Chanyeol are together, he no longer feels threatened like he did before. 

Strange.

Though it still isn't entirely clear if Mr.Oh has intentions of eventually moving in, it's going to take some time for Chen to readjust to his family changing again. He's done it with Chanyeol and he can surely do it again.

When the time comes, he'll be ready.

Chen turned back to the new couple and dog hybrid, displaying the warmest kitten curl he could muster.

Here we go again.

🐱 [END] 🐶

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally completed! 
> 
> Honestly, this epilogue was ment to be a one-shot smutt fic but it just turned into this whole thing the more I added to it haha. It seems to have worked out better in the end. 
> 
> I might make a part two in the future. We will see. For now I have a ton of story ideas just sitting around. Might post a few one-shots I've been tinkering with. 
> 
> Thanks for giving my hybrid fic a chance! 
> 
> ~Renard


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